Prison Visitor Guide

Medical and Mental Health in Texas (TDCJ)

How medical care works in TDCJ units, co-pay costs, the grievance process, and what families can do.

Last reviewed: 2026-03-29

Who Provides Care

TDCJ uses a correctional managed health care system. The main academic providers are the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC).

Provider structure

  • UTMB manages health services at many TDCJ facilities, especially in the eastern and central parts of the system.
  • TTUHSC manages services at many West Texas facilities.
  • TDCJ’s Health Services Division oversees quality, policy, grievances, and family/public medical contacts.

How a Person Requests Medical Care

For routine problems, the process usually starts with a written request.

  1. Submit a Sick Call Request (SCR).
  2. Medical staff review and triage the request.
  3. The person is called out for clinic, treatment, follow-up, or referral depending on urgency.

Emergency situations

Emergency medical issues are handled through immediate staff response rather than the routine SCR process. Unit staff can refer the person to on-site medical care, an infirmary, or an outside hospital depending on the situation.

Co-Pays and Charges

Texas publishes a specific co-pay structure for routine charged visits.

  • The medical co-pay is $13.55 per visit.
  • TDCJ charges the fee for the first seven charged visits each fiscal year.
  • After seven charged visits, there is no additional co-pay for the remainder of that fiscal year.
  • The annual maximum under that structure is $94.85.

Mental Health Services

Mental-health care is part of the same correctional managed-care structure.

  • UTMB and TTUHSC both provide mental-health services depending on the facility.
  • Services can include psychiatric evaluation, medication management, crisis intervention, and facility-based mental-health programming.
  • Specialized units, including psychiatric or therapeutic settings, exist for some populations.

Grievances and Complaints

TDCJ uses a two-step grievance system.

Inmate grievance process

  • Step 1: Filed and answered at the unit level.
  • Step 2: Appeal to central administrative review. Health-services materials state that Step 2 medical grievances are handled through the Office of Professional Standards in Huntsville.

Informal health complaint route

Before a formal grievance, TDCJ health-services materials describe an informal route:

  • The person first addresses the issue with the treating professional.
  • If still dissatisfied, the person may submit an I-60 or letter to the facility complaint coordinator or Health Administrator.
  • If the issue is still unresolved, the person may file a grievance.

What Families Can Do

Outside advocacy is limited but not irrelevant.

Available outside contacts

  • Medical issues: Health Services Division, Office of Professional Standards, health.services@tdcj.texas.gov, (936) 437-4271
  • Patient Liaison Program: Written complaints to Health Services Division, PO Box 99, Huntsville, TX 77340
  • Non-medical complaint or general concern after unit-level steps: Office of the Independent Ombudsman

Useful outside actions

  • Document dates, symptoms, clinic requests, and responses.
  • Confirm whether an SCR, I-60, Step 1 grievance, or Step 2 grievance has been filed.
  • Use the Patient Liaison or Health Services contact for persistent medical concerns.
  • Use the Ombudsman for non-medical issues or broader complaint routing.

Verify Before Acting