Mental Health Evaluation Steps

Process

Mental health evaluations consist of personalized one-on-one counseling sessions, during which Mrs. Garza gathers information about the client’s personal and family history and administers psychometric tests. These assessments evaluate the applicant's mental health status and bolster their hardship case.

Mrs. Garza synthesizes the insights from interviews and psychometric tests to create a detailed report that enhances the hardship petition. Additional testing may be performed as needed, tailored to the applicant's unique immigration circumstances and visa requirements.

To accommodate diverse schedules, Mrs. Garza also offers virtual meetings.

Methods

Mrs. Garza employs evidence-based practices to assess the applicant’s mental health in relation to their immigration status. She is dedicated to fully understanding each client’s story to provide the most accurate support for their case. Following this, she collaborates closely with the attorney to effectively communicate the applicant’s mental health challenges in the context of their immigration situation.

Timeline

The report typically takes 1 to 2 weeks to complete following the final interview. Please note that expedited draft evaluations are available for an additional fee, with a turnaround time of just 1 week.

Interview

Currently, Mrs. Garza conducts evaluations via video conferencing for Texas residents, offering bilingual immigration evaluation services in Spanish.

Evaluation Review

Mrs. Garza’s evaluations involve a comprehensive review of relevant documents, including medical and psychiatric records, personal and family histories, clinical interviews, and psychometric testing. She employs evidence-based practices to objectively assess mental health distress, enhancing the credibility of her evaluations.

Her reports emphasize the client’s personal narrative, detailing the severity of hardships and their impact on mental health. She clearly identifies and describes mental health symptoms while crafting a compelling clinical narrative.

Using the DSM-5 Manual, Mrs. Garza evaluates symptoms of mental disorders when applicable, although a formal diagnosis is not required for immigration hardship waivers. Recognizing that many applications are denied due to inadequate mental health information, she strives to thoroughly document the effects of trauma, loss, and abuse, addressing both short-term and long-term impacts.