Medical & Mental Health in Michigan (MDOC)

Health care and the co-pay

The MDOC Bureau of Health Care Services (BHCS) provides medical, dental, mental-health, substance-use, and pharmacy care, with inpatient care at the Duane L. Waters Health Center in Jackson. Michigan charges a $5 co-pay for a medical, dental, or optometric visit the prisoner requests for themselves (only one fee per visit). It is not charged when the visit is initiated or required by health staff (including intake and annual screenings and required follow-ups), for a work-related injury, for communicable-disease testing, for a mental-health visit, or when it leads to emergency care within an hour. A prisoner without funds still receives care; the fee becomes a debt. (The co-pay has been the subject of repeal efforts, so confirm the current amount.)

Mental health and substance use

Mental-health services range from outpatient counseling to crisis care and inpatient treatment, including a residential treatment program for serious mental illness. For opioid use disorder, MDOC offers medication-assisted treatment (methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone), which can begin during incarceration and continue toward release.

Getting health information and raising a concern

Because health information is confidential, only the Bureau of Health Care Services can address a health concern, and staff cannot release information unless the prisoner signs the “Patient’s Authorization for Disclosure of Health Information.” Families can reach BHCS at (517) 335-2263 or BHCS-Communications@michigan.gov.

Grievances and oversight

The formal complaint route belongs to the prisoner: a three-step grievance process (Policy Directive 03.02.130) that starts with an attempt to resolve the issue, then a written Step I grievance and two levels of appeal. Separately, Michigan has an independent Legislative Corrections Ombudsman, a nonpartisan legislative office that investigates complaints about the prison system and has full access to MDOC facilities and records: (517) 373-8573. The office generally needs to hear from the prisoner and asks that the grievance process be completed first.

Outside help

Several Michigan organizations support incarcerated people and their families:

• Citizens for Prison Reform — a family-led nonprofit with a Family Participation Program (micpr.org).
• Humanity for Prisoners — one-on-one help, including health-care advocacy (humanityforprisoners.org).
• Nation Outside — reentry support led by formerly incarcerated people (nationoutside.org).

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Know Your Rights.