Family Emergency? How to Reach an MDOC Inmate or Notify Staff When It Matters Most

Your first call should go to the unit chaplain - the chaplain assigned to your loved one's housing unit. MDOC routes emergency notifications this way because the chaplain can verify the information and make sure it reaches the right people inside the facility.

S2

• ✓ Notify the inmate about an emergency related to a family member’s critical illness
• ✓ Notify the inmate about a death in the family
• ✓ Assist with making application for an emergency suspension to the facility administrator if warranted

S3

• ✓ Inmate’s full name
• ✓ Inmate’s MDOC number (if you know it)
• ✓ Inmate’s date of birth
• ✓ Last four digits of the inmate’s Social Security Number (only if the operator requests it)

If you hit voicemail - maybe the switchboard operator is busy, or it's a weekend or state/federal holiday - leave all the identifying details in your message. Include your name and a phone number where staff can call you back.

Can't reach the chaplain? Your backup is the MDOC Central Office switchboard. The operator works out of Central Office in downtown Jackson - not at the prison itself - so don't be surprised if they're not physically at the facility where your loved one is housed.

1. Try the chaplain route again - If you have a direct way to reach the unit or facility, ask to be connected to the unit chaplain.
2. Call the MDOC Central Office switchboard - The operator is located at Central Office in downtown Jackson.
3. Leave a complete voicemail if you have to - Include the identifying information (full name, MDOC number if known, date of birth, and last four SSN digits if requested), plus your name and phone number.
4. Write down what you did - Note the date/time you called and whether you reached a person or left a message, so you can follow up clearly if needed.