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OUR PURPOSE

Boy on bicycle near a migrant camp

Our purpose is to ensure the voices of traumatized immigrants are heard and understood. We do this by listening to and documenting their accounts of human rights abuses, by serving as expert witnesses for their asylum petitions, and by advocating for policies and social norms that preserve their emotional health. 

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Our vision includes expansion of services in all southern border states, trauma care for immigrant communities, and mental health education for host communities and policymakers toward a kinder, more welcoming social environment. 

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Our core values are that all people deserve life, purpose, dignity, safety, opportunity, and connections with those they love. We work toward these ideals through an attitude of learning, a structure of collaboration, and a spirit of courage.  

A Little About Us

Jenifer Wolf-Williams, Ed.D., Executive Director

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For many years before H.O.M.E., I was a trauma therapist who volunteered among asylum seekers. Their determination to stay alive drew me in, but the barriers they faced in that process stunned me. I quickly learned that traditional therapy was not enough. I couldn’t treat post-trauma distress when my clients’ trauma was not yet post. I couldn’t help them feel safe when their reality was potential deportation to the places they had fled. But as witness to the emotional impact of the human rights abuses they had endured, I could equip them with evidence that made a real difference in their immigration outcomes. And now through H.O.M.E., I lead an excellent team of licensed clinicians who offer their own compassion and expertise for the same purpose.

Jenifer in a migrant camp
Jenifer Wolf-Williams, EdD, LPA, LPC-S

Beatriz Zavala, LCSW, Clinical Coordinator

I am a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience conducting mental health evaluations and working closely with asylum seekers. This work has always resonated with me, connecting deeply to my own immigration story and the resilience needed to overcome challenges. I witnessed firsthand how the emotional toll of leaving one's home impacts every aspect of a person’s well-being. By providing thorough, evidence-based assessments, I aim to contribute to their immigration cases in a way that makes a meaningful difference. â€‹Now, as a Clinical Coordinator at H.O.M.E., I continue this mission by collaborating with attorneys and organizations nationwide, ensuring their referrals are matched with clinicians ready to assist. I lead efforts to connect our clients with compassionate, skilled professionals who can support them through the complexities of their journey and help their voices be heard.

B.Zavala photo for H.O.M.E. website.jpeg

Beatriz Zavala, LCSW

Image by Heather Ford

H.O.M.E. Clinical Team

H.O.M.E. has developed an expert clinical team of fully licensed mental health professionals who understand the immigration process. Many are native Spanish speakers, many live in border regions, and some have immigration stories of their own. Some are fluent in other needed languages, including Russian, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Their specialties include trauma care, child development, forensic psychology, educational psychology, and more. They are licensed in Texas and in more than 32 additional states, which is important when a client joins family members in those states or when detained clients are transferred by ICE. H.O.M.E. clinicians are committed to providing essential mental health services for immigrant clients and their families. Because H.O.M.E. provides a modest stipend for their services, they are able to participate regularly and develop expertise in the complex immigration assessment process.

Board of Directors

David Gangsei, PhD, Board President

Linda Corchado, JD, Board Vice President

Linnea Rademaker, PhD, Board Secretary

Yvonne Elkin, Board Treasurer

Sergio Rothstein, PhD

Elisa O'Callaghan

Rick-Arlo Yah Lira

Advisory Board

Judy Eidelson, PhD

Paul Zoltan, JD

Bill Holston, JD

Selma Yznaga, PhD

How You Can Help

Attorney

DONATE

H.O.M.E. provides a vital service to vulnerable asylum seekers with acute needs, and we do not charge them for this service. We depend on the generosity of donors and volunteers to keep this work going, and we are grateful for each person who steps in to help!

VOLUNTEER

H.O.M.E. also relies on the generosity of volunteers, and we welcome a discussion about how your skills and strengths might be valuable to the work of H.O.M.E. Please reach out to us through email below.

PARTICIPATE

Because it is essential for H.O.M.E. mental health professionals to develop specific expertise in immigration mental health assessment, we offer a modest stipend to evaluators, enabling them to participate regularly. If you are a licensed mental health professional and would like to work with H.O.M.E., please complete the form below or contact jenifer@homemigration.org with any questions.

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© 2023 Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health | All Rights Reserved  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Use

H.O.M.E. is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Donations are tax-deductible. EIN: 85-3614204

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