Program

Every year, millions of people around the world are forced to flee their home countries due to persecution. For these millions, receiving asylum may be the difference between life and death. Over 1.6 million people currently have asylum applications pending in the United States, including survivors of genocide, torture, gender-based violence, LGBTQIA+ oppression, and religious discrimination.

A part of Refugees Northwest, the Seattle Asylum Forensic Evaluation Network (SAFE Net) is an organization of licensed medical and mental health clinicians who volunteer their time and expertise to conduct independent forensic evaluations,  providing valuable evidentiary support for both affirmative and defensive asylum cases.

What does SAFE Net do?

SAFE Net is built on three foundational pillars:

Direct Support for Asylum Applicants

We provide pro bono forensic medical and psychological evaluations for people applying for asylum. Our network of trained, licensed clinicians volunteer their time to review applicant information, conduct evaluative interviews, and write affidavits to use during legal proceedings, all at no cost to the applicant. You can request a forensic evaluation.

Training and Mentorship

SAFE Net provides training and mentorship in conducting forensic evaluations for asylum applicants, increasing the number of local clinicians able to serve this population. Our Doctoral Residency program provides intensive training to advanced clinical psychology doctoral students, developing the next generation of experts in providing psychological services to refugee and asylee populations. We partner with the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Student Asylum Clinic to support the development of the next generation of experts in providing medical services to refugee and asylee populations.

Advancing Understanding

SAFE Net partners with academic researchers to produce internal and external research. We aim to study the experiences of asylum-seekers, understand the mental and physical health impact of events related to asylum claims, look at the impacts of pre and post forced migration, improve the quality of services, and promote the well-being of the populations we serve.

Who funds SAFE Net?

SAFE Net, formerly known as the Evaluation Network, is a program of Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) and is supported in part by the City of Seattle. Seattle has declared itself a ‘Welcoming City’ – also called a sanctuary city – and is a proud member of pro-immigration coalitions including Cities for Action. We are an extension of this commitment. You can learn more about our team in the “Our Team” section.

How can I join the network?

If you’re a medical or mental health clinician licensed in the State of Washington, please contact us for information about volunteering. Our trainings are free, and are held virtually several times a year. You can find more information about the process in the “Volunteer” section.

Once you’ve attended a SAFE Net training, please fill out a volunteer application form and we’ll contact you for the necessary background check.

Compared to the national average, applicants that receive a forensic evaluation are 50% more likely to be granted asylum*. SAFE Net provides free appointments with expert psychological and medical evaluators, and our clinical supervisors work to ensure that all affidavits are accurate and effective. We accept both affirmative and defensive cases and specialize in working with survivors of torture. Our typical turnaround time is five weeks.

Updated Eligibility Criteria (2026)

To qualify for our services, applicants have to meet all four of the following criteria:

1. The applicant is in immigration detention, facing deportation, or is at risk because of immigration status
2. The applicant either:
   • lives, works, or goes to school in Seattle
   • is experiencing housing instability and are currently or have in the last two years been receiving social services from a Seattle-based agency
   • is enrolled in the Dedicated Docket program at the Seattle immigration court
   • is receiving legal defense services at a legal clinic that takes place in Seattle
   • lives elsewhere in Washington state and does not require our assistance with interpretation – meaning either that the applicant is fluent in English, the attorney agrees to arrange professional interpretation through a service we approve, or an evaluator in our network that’s fluent in the applicant’s preferred language has availability
3. The applicant is receiving pro-bono or low-bono representation
4. The applicant has an annual household income that is at or below 200% of the 2026 federal poverty level:
   • 1 person: $15,960
   • 2 people: $21,640
   • 3 people: $27,320
   • 4 people: $33,000
   • 5 people: $38,680
   • 6 people: $44,360
   • 7 people: $50,040
   • 8 people: $55,720
   • For households with more than 8 people, add $5,680 for each additional person

Next Steps

1. Download our 2026-2027 Release of Information form
2. Send a signed ROI, Declaration, I-589 form, and any other supporting documentation to [email protected]
3. Fill out our Evaluation Referral form online

We recommend sending documents securely. If you don’t have access to digital encryption, let us know you have material ready to send and we’ll reply with an encrypted thread that accepts attachments

*Citations

Lee, K. (2017, July). Seeking sanctuary. Monitor on Psychology, 48 (7)

Ferdowsian, H., McKenzie, K., & Zeidan, A. (2019). Asylum Medicine: Standard and Best Practices. Health and Human Rights, 21 (1), 215

EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review). (2013). FY 2016 Statistical Yearbook

Getting Started

If you’re a medical or mental health clinician licensed in the State of Washington, please contact us for information about volunteering and upcoming trainings. Our trainings are free, and are held virtually several times a year

Once you’ve attended a SAFE Net training, fill out a volunteer application form and we’ll contact you for the necessary background check

How It Works

We use your clinical specialties, availability, and any other criteria you prefer to match you with an applicant. If the particulars work for you, we’ll take care of scheduling, interpretation, and all communication with the legal team. After the evaluation and any necessary follow-ups, we typically set a two week goal for affidavit first drafts. Our clinical supervisors will offer the level of review you’re comfortable with, and are always available to answer any questions you might have. We also coordinate attorney feedback to ensure your impartiality.

For more details about the process, please get in touch with SAFE Net at [email protected].

If you’d like to request an evaluation for your client, please fill out our referral form. For all other inquiries, please contact our program coordinators at [email protected]

Allison Kojicić, MSW, LICSW

Clinical Director
(she/her)

Allison Kojicić is the Clinical Director of the behavioral health programming in Lutheran Community Service Northwest’s Greater Puget Sound district. She joined LCSNW in 2020. She has a background in refugee advocacy and immigration aid, community mental health and integrated care models. Allison has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan. She manages the SAFE Net program, focusing on operations and clinical connections between this network’s endeavors and other behaviorally-focused programs within the district. When not meeting with the SAFE Net team, Allison can be found rowing on Lake Union or searching for the city’s best soft pretzel.

Tilda Cvkel, PhD

Clinical Supervisor
(she/her)

Dr. Tilda Cvrkel is a SAFE Net Clinical Supervisor at LCSNW. She trains and mentors new and continuing evaluators and supports the research mission of LCSNW. Tilda is a licensed clinical psychologist who holds two PhDs. Before moving back to her hometown of Seattle, she was a professor and bioethicist at UCLA working in health, technology, and international law. Tilda is devoted to both clinical work and research, and she brings expertise in areas related to intrusive thoughts, shame, the psychological impacts of war, survivors of torture, and identity-based persecution. Outside of work, Tilda can often be found painting, sculpting, cooking, or learning portrait photography.

Lisa Khvatova, MSPH

Program Coordinator (She/Her)

Lisa is the Program Coordinator for SafeNet where she manages cases, organizes materials and communicates with program stakeholders and clients. Lisa also co-coordinates the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Surgery and researches health systems performance and access to surgical care in low income settings. Prior to joining SAFENET she completed her master’s in International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, concentrating in Health Systems, to try and understand systemic health inequities. When she is not cafe-hopping or going after a new dessert, Lisa is often sewing or drawing.