Immigration Evaluations — Mind Matters Counseling, LLC

The type of evaluation needed is typically something you decide with your immigration lawyer. Mental health evaluations can help bolster the case to provide clinical evidence of the mental health effects that the client has and may face.

Types of Evaluations:

Evaluation Process:

1st- Consultation

Reach out to set up a time for a short phone consultation to make sure I can provide what you need. Please be ready with the name and phone number of your immigration lawyer.

Additional Information-

You may be asked to provide essential documents related to your case, such as medical and psychiatric records and police reports. You may also be provided with questions or assessments to provide more information before our meeting.

2nd- Meetings

Mental health evaluations consist of two to three online meetings, each lasting 1 hour to 90 minutes and scheduled one week apart. In these meetings, we explore psychological symptoms, history, and other details relevant to your case.

3rd- Timeline

The final report typically takes 2-3 weeks from the last meeting to complete. These reports are usually 12-15 pages and demonstrate the psychological, physical, financial, and emotional impact of separating families through deportation or relocating outside of the United States.

**Expedited evaluations are made available with an additional charge and allow for a 1-week turnaround.

Cost

Costs for the evaluation start at $1100 and depend on additional services needed. Payment plans are available.

My Experience:

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) in Maryland & Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) license in Washington, DC. I am a native Spanish speaker and have 15+ years of experience serving individuals and families with a history of trauma and abuse. I have always worked with the immigrant population and understand their unique needs. My experience with this population has familiarized me with the complexities involved with the extreme trauma and challenges that many of your clients may have experienced on their journey to the United States. I understand the importance of providing culturally sensitive and competent evaluations to serve their needs best.

I have developed a reputation for creating a compassionate and caring environment for clients. My approach is to work closely with attorneys and their clients to provide a thorough and efficient evaluation process in a safe and welcoming environment.

My schedule is currently flexible, and I offer evening appointments with a quick turnaround time.

Let's Connect

Hardship Evaluation:

Extreme Hardships allow a U.S. Citizen or resident to petition for an undocumented family member who is at risk of having to leave the country. The family members can share how they would suffer if the non-citizen immigrant were not allowed to stay. This evaluation will explore the hardships of U.S. citizens, including emotional, physical, financial, educational, and family, which will help support your case.

VAWA (Violence Against Women’s Act):

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) includes any survivor of domestic violence, including men. It allows a non-citizen, including a parent, spouse, or child, to file a petition to remain in the United States without the abuser's knowledge. The non-citizen must provide evidence (ex, police report) that shows the suffering of domestic violence. This evaluation will focus on the psychological, physical, and financial effects of domestic abuse.

U-Visa:

U-Visas are given to victims of crimes and allow undocumented immigrants to receive protection and work with law enforcement to assist in their criminal investigations. This evaluation explores a crime's psychological, emotional, physical, financial, and even spiritual repercussions.

T-Visa:

These are similar to the U-Visa but are more specific to victims of human trafficking, who have assisted law enforcement with the investigation process. This visa allows the non-citizen to remain in the United States for four years. This evaluation focuses on the psychological, emotional, physical, and financial effects of surviving human trafficking.

Cancelation Of Removal:

Cancellation of Removal applications is filed once the immigrant is already in the midst of removal proceedings. They require the person to have a history of good moral character. This evaluation will focus on assessing the U.S. citizen or resident to explore the extreme hardship if separated from their family member, including emotional, physical, financial, and educational effects.

Asylum:

Filing for asylum must be completed within one year of arriving in the United States. It is for individuals and families with a well-founded fear of persecution if they return to their home country. Types of persecution could be related to race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, and/or due to political opinions. Psychological evaluations for asylum focus on the unseen scars of fleeing from persecution.