Information for Attorneys
As an immigration attorney, you know how challenging it can be to get your clients the humanitarian relief they are seeking. You are adept at navigating the legal system and you know that for many clients, a thorough psychosocial assessment can make a huge difference in the outcome of the case.
Your clients are often carrying profound emotional burdens and they are overwhelmed and intimidated by the legal process, which can make it even harder for you to maneuver through the details of their case. They may have missed filing deadlines, struggled to provide a coherent narrative and you worry they may struggle with testimony.
This is why it can be crucial to have a clinician with a comprehensive understanding of the immigration process, experience working with trauma and who also has the skills and acumen to elicit the often-buried information from clients to help overcome hurdles that are otherwise preventing them from obtaining relief to which they are entitled. This could be finding psychological evidence of trauma endured in their home country, from an intimate partner or crime, identifying cognitive or psychological factors that may have impacted ability to meet the one-year asylum filing deadline or revealing personal factors that would constitute extreme hardship with prolonged separation from a qualifying relative.
As a licensed clinical social worker with expertise in immigration-related evaluations, I am here to help navigate those potential barriers. Through my thoughtful, compassionate and thorough evaluation process, I will work with your clients to assess the psychological impact of their experiences, provide a professional, clinical prognosis regarding their psychological recovery and connect that to the form of immigration relief they are seeking. My practice is dedicated to working with clients and attorneys to support the most just outcome for the client.
Many clients who come for evaluations are reluctant and vulnerable, yet they complete the evaluation feeling relieved and supported. I receive consistent feedback that I provide an understanding and gentle process that leaves them feeling more emotionally prepared for the next phase of their proceedings.
I will work with you collaboratively from start to finish to understand the specific legal underpinnings of your client’s case, provide a comprehensive report in a prompt manner and offer court testimony as needed. I have extensive experience working with interpreters and can refer clients to professional interpreters as needed. Expedited evaluations are also available.
Ready to see the difference that working with me for psychosocial evaluation can make on fair outcomes with your clients? If you have a case that could benefit from an evaluation, you or clients can contact me for a consultation at mcollins@mlbcollins.com / 781-226-1606 or make a referral directly at www.mlbcollins.com/referrals.
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