Medical & Mental Health in West Virginia (WV DCR)
West Virginia's prison medical co-pays and their exemptions, the private health-care contractor, how a family can raise a concern (and why the grievance process is inmate-only), and the fact that West Virginia has no independent corrections ombudsman.
Health care and the co-pays
Medical, dental, and mental-health care inside West Virginia prisons is delivered by a private contractor — Wexford Health Sources as of 2026 — with medical-management oversight by Marshall Health (a state university health system). The contractor has changed over the years, and the rules are set by WVDCR.
Under Policy Directive 424.01, a sentenced inmate pays small co-pays for self-initiated care:
- $3 for a nurse sick-call or treatment visit,
- up to $5 to see a doctor, optometrist, or dentist,
- $2 per prescription (chronic-care medications for chronic-care patients are not charged), and
- over-the-counter medicines are free.
State law caps any charge at $25 per service. The co-pay does not apply to emergencies (other than self-inflicted injuries), communicable-disease care, diagnosed serious mental illness, chronic conditions like heart disease or diabetes, staff-ordered care including follow-ups and referrals, or preventive services. No inmate is denied necessary care for inability to pay — the charge is deducted from the trustee account, and an unpaid balance does not stop treatment.
Mental health and substance use
The health team includes mental-health professionals, and serious mental illness is treated as a chronic condition (and is co-pay-exempt). Narcan (naloxone) is kept available for opioid overdoses, and the system runs residential substance-abuse treatment units. Whether medication for opioid use disorder (methadone or buprenorphine) is available in prison is not guaranteed by published policy and has been the subject of litigation — so do not assume it is provided; confirm with the facility.
Raising a concern
West Virginia provides no dedicated channel for a family member to file a complaint about someone’s care. The formal inmate grievance process can be filed only by the inmate — it runs in three steps (the unit manager, then the superintendent, then the Commissioner) — and a family member cannot file on the person’s behalf. The one exception: anyone, including family, may help report sexual abuse (PREA). A worried family member’s practical option is to contact the facility or WVDCR directly.
Oversight
West Virginia has no independent corrections or prison ombudsman. The grievance process is entirely internal, ending with the Commissioner; bills to create an independent oversight office were introduced in 2024 and 2025 but did not pass. (The state’s Office of the Inspector General has a separate mental-health ombudsman for the behavioral-health system generally, not a corrections oversight body.) External accountability comes largely through the courts.
Verify Before Acting
Sources
This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.