Immigration & Extreme Hardship Evaluations
Oceanside Family Therapy & Assessments provides law firms and attorneys nationwide; including California, New York, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville with expert forensic psychological services in the areas of immigration law, including:
-
Extreme and Exceptional Hardship
-
Political Asylum
-
Spousal Abuse
-
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)
-
U Visas (for victims of crime that occured in the U.S.)
-
T Visa (victims of human trafficking, trafficked into the U.S.)
-
Cancellation of Removal
-
I-130 Petitions
Since Covid-19 updated Florida Statutes, services are available via Telehealth on a face to face virtual platform, and in person.
Extreme and Exceptional Hardship
In extreme and exceptional hardship cases, a citizen of the United States, or a legal permanent resident of the United States, is the spouse, fiancée, parent, or child of an individual who may be deported from the U.S or face a 3 or 10 year bar for unlawful presence if they departed the United States (when filing a I-601a waiver). The United States citizen applies for a waiver on the basis that deportation or bar of their relative would result in an extreme and exceptional hardship to the United States citizen/resident.
Relevant factors in these cases include family relationships that would make it extraordinarily difficult for that person to leave the country. For example, a United States citizen may have a sick parent or sibling or be unable to make a living in the country to which his or her spouse would be deported. The U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident might himself or herself be under treatment for a medical condition which could not be as well treated outside of the United States. The children of the United States citizen or legal permanent resident might be far advanced in their education in this country, and unable to speak, read, or write in the language of the foreign country.
In such cases, leaving the United States might represent a permanent bar to the completion of their education. In extreme and exceptional hardship cases, if one parent has to leave the United States, it can produce a separation anxiety disorder on the part of the child left behind. Some children, especially those who are very young and lack the emotional maturity to understand why a parent might have to leave the United States, might also develop a depressive disorder.
In extreme hardship cases the client must demonstrate hardship that is above and beyond hardship that would be expected in most cases.
Political Asylum
In political asylum cases, an individual has been subjected to mistreatment and abuse in a foreign country. Frequently, the mistreatment is associated with a political, religious, ethnic, or gender factor. At some point, the individual flees and makes his or her way to the United States, and files a political asylum claim. In his or her native country, it is very common that the individual has developed psychological problems as a result of the abuse; depressive disorders and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) are common.
Sometimes, the disorder interferes with the ability to file a claim for asylum within the required one-year period. In those cases, it is necessary to make an assessment whether the psychological problems experienced by the individual interfered with the filing of a timely political asylum claim.
In political asylum cases, it is also helpful to assess whether an individual continues to suffer from psychological symptoms after their arrival in the United States. This helps to gauger how profound the trauma was in the country of origin and how long standing the psychological ramifications.
People claiming asylum are unable to return to their country for fear of the above mentioned persecution or pending harm.
Spousal Abuse
In spousal abuse cases, a woman or a man from a foreign country marries a citizen or a legal permanent resident of the United States. After the marriage, the United States citizen or legal permanent resident then abuses his or her spouse.
The abuse can take the form of verbal, physical, sexual, or psychological mistreatment. It is important in spousal abuse cases to assess the quality of the abuse as well as the frequency, and to evaluate the impact that the abuse has had on the individual.
U Visas
A U Visa gives legal status to immigrants, even undocumented immigrants, who have been victims of serious crimes in the United States and meet certain other requirements. With a U Visa, the immigrant may stay and work in the United States for up to four years. After three years, however, a victim with a U visa may apply for a green card.
Victims of crimes, including sexual abuse, domestic violence, involuntary servitude, sexual exploitation, kidnapping, female genital mutilation, trafficking, and rape, must have suffered serious physical, mental, or emotional abuse and have information that may help law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting the perpetrators.
Depending on the situation, the victim's family members might also be able to get a U Visa. A number of certifications and forms are involved, so contact an experienced immigration lawyer to assist with your U Visa petition.
Interpreters
When necessary, we will schedule your assessment with a foreign language interpreter in the language of your choice. Our assessment tools are also available in Spanish when requested.
Forensic/Court Evaluations
The role of the psychotherapist in these cases is to inform the court, not to decide the ultimate question of deportation. The forensic psychotherapist generally provides the attorney with a comprehensive written evaluation assessing the degree of hardship, the category of hardship, related documentation of the history of the person and an explanation of the impact deportation would have on the person, as well as their family.
Depending on the results of the evaluation the attorney may or may not submit the psychological evaluation to the court. The demonstration of extreme exceptional hardship based on the evaluation and other factors does not automatically indicate a privilege for relief or the granting of cancellation of removal. The Cancellation of Removal and Adjustment of Status for Certain Non permanent Residents (1996): I.N.A Section: 240 A (b) states in addition to the identification of an exceptionally extreme hardship the application for cancellation of removal must verify:
• The alien has been physically present continuously in the United States of America for a period not less than 10 years immediately preceding the application;
• The alien has been a person of good moral character;
• The alien has not been convicted of an offense or “aggravated felonies.”
The decision to cancel removal is multi-factorial and the determination ultimately rests with the USDOJ-EIRO Immigration Court Judge, or the Attorney General, based on the specifics of the case.
The purpose of the evaluation in immigration deportation cases is NOT to diagnosis in order to treat a psychological disturbance, but rather to determine if the disorder is present and if an exceptional hardship would result due to the disorder if deportation occurs. Therefore, the forensic evaluator is contractually hired by the immigration attorney NOT the client (even though the client/family usually covers the costs for the evaluation). All reports are furnished directly to the hiring/referral attorney NOT to the client or the client's family.
Mental Health Evaluations
Thorough mental health evaluations for children and adults ranging in assessments based on the presenting symptoms, concerns and mental health issues. Infants and young children may need assessed for Autism Spectrum, Anxiety, Depression or ADD; while adults may need to be evaluated for chronic issues, adjustment disorders and mental health functioning. Therefore, assessments vary per patient and referral.
Meet the Evaluator
Nicole Story, EDS, MED, LMHC, LMFT, NCC, QS-FL, Psychotherapist is a multiple citizen, including the US, the UK, and Ireland/EU.
She has been involved in legal cases for 20 years and also consults in-house at her husband's law firm.
Originally, a native of Ireland and the UK, Nicole Story, EDS, MED - Clinical Director at Oceanside Family Therapy & Assessments is personally familiar with the immigration process and has evaluated, assisted and testified on behalf of numerous individuals, spouses and children of immigrants facing deportation/removal and bars.
She has coordinated with numerous attorneys and assisted dozens of cases through USCIS, Miami Immigration Court, Orlando Immigration Court and Atlanta Immigration Court and is referred cases from attorneys in California, New York, Atlanta and throughout the state of Florida. In addition to PsyD/EDS level education in assessment, psychopathology and cultural psychology, she has also studied German, French and Spanish languages and culture at college level.
In addition to working with adults, she is also specifically trained in trauma, ASD, ADHD, learning disorders, emotional disorders and attachment bonds in children, infants through 19 years old and has supervised the clinical staff of the Youth Crisis Center (residential and outpatient programs), Family Foundations, Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Camelot Community Care, Daniel Kids, Veterans Administration Jacksonville, TPC Village and New Beginnings over the past 15 years.
Professional Associations & Leadership Roles
-
American Board of Forensic Counselors - Counseling and Psychology Divisions
-
APA Clinical Member
-
Clinical Director & Program Administrator of Adolescent Residential, Detox & Outpatient Programs - Gateway Community Services, TPC
-
Florida Association for Marriage & Family Therapy - Board Member, Ethics Chair
-
Florida Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance - Licensed Psychotherapist
-
Guardian ad Litem, 4th Judicial Circuit - Executive Board Member
-
Humana Military and Tricare Provider for Behavioral Healthcare
-
Jacksonville Beaches Bar Association - Affiliate Member, Medical/Psychological Expert Services
-
Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association - Strategic Partner Member
-
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Florida Department of Health
-
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Florida Department of Health
-
National Board of Clinical Counselors - NCC, Board Certified Counselor
-
N.E. Florida Assoc. Marriage Family Therapy - President Emeritus, President, & President-Elect
-
Qualified Clinical Supervisor for MFT and MHC Masters/Doctoral Interns, Florida Department of Health
At Oceanside Family Therapy & Assessments, we offer objective, comprehensive evaluations covering mental health, biopsychosocial data and family systems perspectives to the US Immigration Court and USCIS at the request of any immigration attorney who feels that his or her client has a special situation that would benefit from a forensic therapist.
Rates
The following rates are base prices not including any travel or review of documents. Time is accrued on an hourly rate of $250/hour. Cards may be ran though the PayPal app below. Also accepting cash when services are rendered.
Mental Health Evaluation, Single
With detailed report
Price: $950.00 - $1500
Mental Health Evaluation, Parent and 1 Child
With detailed report
Price: $1250.00
Mental Health Evaluation, 2 children
With detailed reports for 2 young children group rate
Mental Health Evaluations, Family
With detailed reports for 3 children
Price: $1,900.00
Mental Health Evaluations, Single, Expediated
With detailed reports less than 2 weeks turn around, Single
Price: $1250.00
No product
Mental Health Evaluation Express Expedited, Single
Hardship, Asylum, Inadmissibility waiver, etc. Within 3-6 days.
Price: $1,500.00
No product
Evaluation Update
Update of dates/address etc on previous MH Eval for court or USCIS
Price: $250.00
Click to Play Video - Immigration Evaluations
Immigration Mental Health/Psych Evaluations
Offering Telehealth assessments throughout the state of Florida and in person assessments in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
Ready to get started on your intake packet, click button below for steps on how to proceed, or email us at Nicole@usimmigrationevaluations.com
USCIS and Immigration Court, like any court, often will not accept psychosocial assessments over 12 months old (in some cases 6 months old). Check with your attorney and schedule an update to your assessments and report if you are still in immigration proceedings and your report may have expired in validity/is no longer considered to be current.