An immigration evaluation is a psychosocial evaluation that addresses factors specific to your immigration case. A psychosocial evaluation means that the evaluation includes an assessment of mental health symptoms as well as social factors that may be affecting a person’s well-being and functioning. In the social work world, we call this “person in environment.” We recognize that an individual’s current state is affected by many things, including family history, socioeconomic status, past trauma, medical conditions, and support systems. A psychosocial assessment attempts to evaluate how all these factors are contributing to a person’s current emotional state.  

1. Reach out for an intake call with a clinician to discuss your case.

2. If we are able to accept your case, we will decide on an evaluation date during your intake call. 

3. If you need financial assistance, we will determine if you qualify for a discount based on our sliding scale. 

4. You will complete paperwork either through our online portal or, if you prefer, paperwork will be sent to you via mail. This paperwork will include login information for your appointment. 

5. At the time of the appointment you will log onto the platform.

6. The evaluation will be completed. Typically, the meeting for an evaluation lasts 2-3 hours. 

7. We aim to have the written report completed within 14 days of your evaluation date. 

1. Reach out for an intake call with a clinician to discuss your case. 

2. If we can accept your case, we will schedule an evaluation date during your intake call. 

3. If financial assistance is needed, we will determine if you qualify for a discount based on our sliding scale. 

4. Complete paperwork either through our online portal or in person at the time of your appointment. 

5. On the day of your appointment, go to your assigned clinician’s office. 

6. The evaluation will be conducted. Evaluations typically last 2-3 hours. 

7. We aim to complete the written report within 14 days of the evaluation

You do not need a lawyer to receive a mental health evaluation for your immigration or asylum case. However, we recommend consulting with a lawyer first if you plan to retain one. Mental health evaluations typically require updates after 12 months, so establishing with a lawyer beforehand can help ensure proper timing. If you need low-cost legal assistance, we recommend contacting the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement at https://ciraconnect.org.

We have contracted clinicians that are able to provide services in person or through a secure telehealth platform. Depending on the availability of the clinicians, you will either meet with the therapist for your evaluation at their office or through a secure telehealth platform. If your appointment is via telehealth, the app to access this platform is free to download and can be accessed on a smartphone or computer. 

Since we began as a fully remote organization and work with subcontracted therapists, we do not have a central office location. All of our administrative work for the non-profit is completed remotely. If you would like an in-person evaluation, you will be seen at the private office of your assigned clinician. Our clinicians offices are located in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Manheim also has an office in Lincoln, Nebraska. Your assigned clinician will provide you with the address of their office during your intake call.

We offer remote services to increase access to people living in rural communities and to reduce the cost of running this non-profit. Many people find that a remote evaluation is more convenient, especially if they live outside of the Omaha Metro. 

We provide evaluation services to both children and adults. Telehealth evaluations are only available to individuals over the age of thirteen. We are working to secure funding to have our clinicians trained in providing these evaluations to children. At this time, we do not yet provide immigration mental health evaluations for children. 

We provide services only to individuals physically located in Nebraska or Iowa. We are legally only able to serve people that are physically in Nebraska or Iowa at the time of the evaluation.

The base cost for an evaluation is $800. We offer a sliding scale for individuals experiencing financial hardship. Our sliding scale is based on federal poverty guidelines. Please call our office at  402-442-0806  to determine if you qualify for a subsidized evaluation.

If you cannot afford an evaluation, we offer a sliding scale. Please call our office at 402-442-0806 to determine if you qualify for a subsidized evaluation.

Our clinicians are able to offer services in English and Spanish. If you speak another language, we will do our best to help you find an interpreter. Depending on funding, we may be able to pay for the cost of the interpreter. Typically, interpretation for an evaluation costs approximately $300. During your intake call, we will let you know if we have funding available to cover the cost of the interpreter. 

If you live in a state close to Nebraska or Iowa, we may still be able to offer you an evaluation.

If we have a clinician available to see you in person, you can drive to their office. If you are receiving remote services, you can travel to a confidential space in Nebraska or Iowa.

Clients have traveled to the house of a friend or family member in Nebraska or Iowa to complete the evaluation. Legally we are only able to complete evaluations for people who are physically located in states in which we are licensed. At this time, our clinicians are only licensed in Nebraska and Iowa.

If you are are receiving remote services, all paperwork can be mailed to you, and payment can be taken over the phone. If you are receiving an in-person evaluation, you can complete the necessary paperwork and payment the day of your appointment. 

Although it is not the preferred method, evaluations can be completed over the telephone in certain situations.

The process from the date of the interview to receiving your evaluation will take 2-3 weeks. The clinician will let you know their turnaround time when you complete your intake appointment

If you need ongoing therapy, we will refer you to another qualified clinician. We do not provide individual therapy through For All Counseling. Objectivity is crucial when conducting an immigration mental health evaluation. The clinician that conducts your evaluation is not able to see you for ongoing therapy because establishing an ongoing relationship with a client may affect the objectivity of the report. We are in relationship with numerous qualified bilingual therapists in the community and will do our best to connect you with an ongoing therapist that will meet your needs. 

Going through legal proceedings can be extremely stressful; we do everything we can in order to make the psychosocial evaluation process as comfortable as possible. Although you may be asked to discuss things that are difficult for you, know that the clinician working with you is compassionate and caring. Two of our clinicians have gone through the immigration process themselves. 

Please don’t hesitate to discuss your feelings of nervousness during the evaluation. These are completely normal feelings, and we’re happy to discuss any concerns you might have.

The most straightforward and common reason for evaluating a child is if they are a U.S. citizen and their parent has a deportation order while pursuing a cancellation of removal. A child is not considered a “Qualifying Relative” unless their parent already has a deportation order. In such cases, we evaluate the child’s historical and current mental health and assess the potential effects of separation from their parent. 

For All Counseling pays therapists the full amount for each evaluation. Our therapists receive $800 for a typical evaluation and $1,000 for expedited or complex cases. Thanks to the generosity of individual donors and community grants, we are able to maintain these pay rates even though the majority of clients receive reduced-cost evaluations.

Yes. If our schedule permits, we can provide services in-person or via remote communication to individuals in immigration detention centers. The evaluation must be coordinated with the detention center staff, so please provide contact information when requesting an evaluation for someone who is detained.