Clients are screened for trauma, emotional and financial difficulties, and extreme hardships. An evaluation is conducted to ascertain to what degree a client would be impacted by a hardship. Psychological evaluations can be instrumental in demonstrating that the removal of an immigrant would cause extreme hardship to the US citizen or resident family member. A complete psychological report can document the client's need for emotional support, care-taking, continued parenting of children, and/or financial assistance. Separating a family can have adverse effects on children.

Joy Quanrud Grimsley, a licensed marriage and family therapist and a trauma trained therapist who provides psychological evaluations for immigration petitions.