To request a forensic evaluation, please follow the steps below. We require that attorneys submit a draft of their client’s declaration at least 2 weeks in advance of the evaluation date to give our clinicians adequate time to prepare the best possible evaluation.
It can take up to four months from the time the initial evaluation request is submitted to the time the final medical affidavit is complete. Please allow plenty of time to ensure the evaluation process runs smoothly.
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1. Contact the WCCHR Directors of Scheduling to request a forensic evaluation at wcchr@med.cornell.edu. Please include the type of evaluation requested (physical, gynecological, or psychological) and the requested medical affidavit due date. Note that we are only able to offer evaluations for asylum cases at this time. All clients must be physically located in New York State due to our clinicians’ medical licensures.
2. After the WCCHR Directors of Scheduling email you back to confirm if we can take on your case, please submit an evaluation request through our partner organization Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) using this form. Please select “clinic direct referral” to have it sent to WCCHR. Note that if you submit a PHR form without contacting the WCCHR Directors of Scheduling first, we will not be notified of your request and your request may not be accepted.
3. After you submit your PHR form, one of our WCCHR Schedulers will contact you closer to your medical affidavit due date to schedule the evaluation. This involves matching your client to one of our clinician evaluators and up to two student volunteers, scheduling the evaluation, and arranging a secure virtual (Zoom) or in-person space to conduct the evaluation. Most psychological evaluations are conducted remotely. All of our physical/gynecological evaluations take place in WCM offices near the NYP-Weill Cornell Medical Center on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. Our scheduling team will send you specific directions to your evaluation location as the date draws near.
We require that you send us a draft of your client’s declaration at least 1 week before the evaluation and provide a certified translator for the evaluation if one is needed. Translators may attend remotely (via our secure Zoom link or another secure platform). If these requirements are not met by the specified deadlines, your evaluation will be cancelled.
4. After the evaluation is complete, the clinician evaluator will send you the medical affidavit. This may take up to 2 weeks.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us at wcchr@med.cornell.edu with any questions!