A Father Joe’s Villages truck. (File photo courtesy of the Father Joe’s)
Visits to Father Joe’s Villages’ psychiatry services jumped substantially in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same time last year, officials said Wednesday.
Father Joe’s Villages’ health center tallied 280 psychiatric visits from April to June 2024, while the organization recorded 424 visits in the same period in 2025 — a 51% increase, according to a press release.
On average, Father Joe’s sees psychiatric patients once a month for half an hour at the Village Health Center, which provides a host of medical services for unhoused clients.
According to the organization’s Chief Health Officer Megan Partch, the center offers same-day walk-in services to people in mental health distress.
“We have also had an increase in psychiatric providers at the Village Health Center, which means more appointments can be provided to more people,” Partch said.
According to Deacon Jim Vargas, CEO of Father Joe’s Villages, the psychiatric services help stabilize the lives of vulnerable San Diegans.
“Our expert team is reorienting our neighbors toward the path of success by integrating services that address their behavioral, developmental, medical and dental needs all in one location,” Vargas said.
The health center recorded 8,015 medical visits and 589 psychiatry visits between January and June 2024, while in the first half of 2025 the health center recorded 9,170 medical visits and 746 psychiatry visits.
According to San Diego’s Regional Task Force on Homelessness, 1,037 people in San Diego County were homeless for the first time in June 2025, a 11.5% decrease from June 2024.
Still, there’s an increasing demand for support. According to the task force, 30,328 people in San Diego County accessed social services, a shelter or were part of a housing program in June.
Officials identified 28,932 people via the same criteria in June 2024.