How to Notify MDOC Chaplain About a Family Emergency and What to Expect

The Chaplaincy Information Form (CIF) plays a central role in how MDOC verifies family emergencies. When someone enters MDOC through Reception & Classification (R&C), they fill out a CIF listing their next-of-kin information. This next-of-kin data is what chaplaincy staff use to confirm a critical illness or death in the family. If you need to get urgent news to your loved one, the CIF is part of the system that makes verification and notification possible.

When a family member is critically ill or has passed away, the Religious Programs chaplain is typically the person who delivers that news to the incarcerated individual. Families often don't know who inside the facility handles this kind of notification. Chaplaincy is the channel for verified, serious family emergencies. When you reach out, you're connecting with the staff member whose job includes making sure that notification happens.

The chaplain can also help your loved one apply for an emergency suspension through the facility administrator, when circumstances warrant it. This isn't something families can guarantee will happen, but it's a formal request that chaplaincy may assist with once the emergency is verified. If your loved one asks what support is available, this is one concrete way chaplaincy can help them take the next step inside the facility.

In some cases, eligible inmates may be approved for an emergency escort to spend time with family during a hospitalization or after a death. Approval isn't automatic. It's limited to people who meet specific eligibility requirements. If you're hoping for in-person time during a medical crisis or after a loss, this is the type of assistance to ask about. These requests typically move forward only after the emergency has been confirmed through proper channels.

Your loved one can request chaplaincy services by filling out a request form available in their housing unit. That's the standard way to get on the chaplain's radar, whether they're reporting an emergency, asking for help, or following up after being notified. From your side, it helps to understand what MDOC uses to verify serious situations. The CIF completed at R&C includes next-of-kin details, and those details are what support the verification process for a critical illness or death.