Medical & Mental Health in Wisconsin (WI DOC)

Health care in Wisconsin prisons

Unlike many states that hire a private prison-health company, Wisconsin delivers care in-house through the WI DOC Bureau of Health Services, part of the Division of Adult Institutions. The Bureau staffs medical, dental, nursing, and psychological services at the institutions; there is no single statewide private medical contractor. Each prison has an on-site Health Services Unit (HSU) that handles routine care, sick-call requests, medication, and referrals to higher-level care.

The medical co-pay

Wisconsin charges a $7.50 co-pay for each face-to-face contact for medical, dental, or nursing services, set by Wis. Admin. Code DOC 316. The rule lists services that are not charged a co-pay, including:

• screening during assessment and evaluation;
• treatment for an actual medical or dental emergency, as determined by a physician, dentist, or registered nurse;
• follow-up appointments and any appointment scheduled by a health care provider;
• written referrals between providers and medical-records review; and
• services for injuries arising from a work assignment.

The co-pay is charged against the person’s trust account and is deducted even when the account has no funds — in that case the amount is recorded as a debt owed. Under DOC 316, staff may not deny medical, dental, or nursing services solely because a person cannot pay the co-pay.

Inpatient and specialty care

Routine care happens at each institution’s HSU. Care that exceeds what a unit can provide is concentrated at specific facilities:

• Dodge Correctional Institution (Waupun) — the men’s statewide reception center, which also runs an inpatient infirmary of roughly 60 beds, the system’s main on-site facility for men needing skilled-nursing or extended medical care.
• UW Hospitals (Madison) — a 10-bed security unit for inpatient hospital care, administered by Oakhill Correctional Institution.
• Care beyond these settings is referred to community hospitals and specialists as needed.

Mental health and psychiatric care

Psychological services are provided in-house at the institutions through the Bureau of Health Services. Inpatient psychiatric care is provided at the Wisconsin Resource Center in Winnebago, a facility jointly operated by the WI DOC and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for people who need a level of mental-health treatment beyond what a general-population prison provides.

Raising a concern

Wisconsin handles health-related complaints primarily through the Inmate Complaint Review System (ICRS), the DOC’s internal grievance process. A person who disagrees with a medical decision or the care received can file a complaint through the institution, which is reviewed and can be appealed within the system.

Wisconsin does not have a single statewide corrections ombudsman. External oversight comes through the legislature and the courts rather than a dedicated independent corrections-complaint office. A complaint about an immediate medical emergency should go straight to the facility’s Health Services Unit.

Verify Before Acting

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