Medical & Mental Health in Oregon (ODOC)

Health care inside

ODOC Health Services provides medical, dental, psychiatric, mental and behavioral health, substance-use, and pharmacy care across the state’s prisons. Everyone is screened for medical, dental, mental-health, and substance-use needs at intake (which happens at Coffee Creek). Oregon is one of the states that has ended routine medical co-pays, so there is no per-visit charge for sick call; a small charge applies only to a few elective items, such as a refractive eye exam — confirm the current rule if it comes up. A person is not denied medically necessary devices, such as hearing aids or prosthetics, for lack of funds.

Mental health and substance use

Mental-health services include screening, case management, crisis intervention, medication and medication management, day and residential treatment, and some individual and group counseling. For substance use, ODOC offers residential and outpatient treatment and Medication-Supported Recovery (MSR) for opioid use disorder. The scope and eligibility of treatment vary and have been the subject of recent legislation, so confirm what is available with ODOC Health Services for a specific person.

How a family member raises a concern

Staff cannot discuss a person’s health condition or treatment with family unless that person has signed a Release of Information form covering health care. To raise a concern, contact the person’s assigned correctional counselor through the facility, or the prison superintendent; ODOC’s general line is (503) 945-9090. In a genuine emergency, such as a death in the family, the prison chaplain can help reach the person.

The grievance process

The formal complaint process belongs to the person inside. Under Oregon Administrative Rules Division 109, they first attempt informal resolution, then file a written grievance with the institution’s grievance coordinator, with levels of appeal. “Inadequate medical or mental health treatment” is expressly something that can be grieved.

Independent oversight

Oregon has an independent Office of Corrections Ombudsman, reinstated in 2022, that investigates complaints and concerns from adults in custody and provides oversight of ODOC. The office can be reached at 1-833-685-0842.

Outside help

Several Oregon organizations support incarcerated people and their families:

• Oregon CURE — a family-facing nonprofit that co-wrote ODOC’s Friends and Family handbook and runs family orientations and support groups (oregoncure.org).
• Oregon Justice Resource Center — legal services and advocacy, including the Women’s Justice Project, which serves people at Coffee Creek (ojrc.info).
• Disability Rights Oregon — Oregon’s protection-and-advocacy organization, for disability and conditions concerns (droregon.org).

Verify Before Acting

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