What to Know About Central Prison's Medical and Mental Health Role Before Your Loved One Arrives

Central Prison is located at 1300 Western Boulevard, Raleigh, NC 27606. The main phone number is 919-733-0800. If you have questions about admissions, current location, or whether someone is being moved for care, calling this number is the best place to start.

Central Prison is the admission point for adult male felons sentenced to 20 years or more. It also operates a diagnostic center that processes special population offenders entering the system. For families, this means Central may be the first stop even if long-term placement ends up elsewhere. Admissions and diagnostic processing happen here before a person gets assigned to their permanent facility.

Central Prison is the main medical and mental health treatment center for male offenders in North Carolina's prison system. Because it serves this statewide role, people may be transferred here for higher-level care and remain while receiving treatment. If your loved one has complex medical needs or serious mental health concerns, this explains why Central Prison may be part of their care path.

Central Prison houses a mix of custody levels: close, medium, and minimum. It also holds special populations, including death row offenders, pre-trial safekeepers, and people in long-term medical care. This combination can feel confusing from the outside. But it reflects why Central comes up so often in conversations about admissions, higher-security placement, and serious medical or mental health treatment.

Central Prison's admission and diagnostic role means your loved one may arrive there first when entering the prison system, especially for adult male felons sentenced to 20 years or more. Diagnostic intake takes time, and early placement isn't always final placement. Central's role as the main medical and mental health treatment center also affects housing decisions. Someone might transfer to Central for treatment or stay there while receiving care, even if their permanent facility ends up being somewhere else. The key point: Central is built to handle complex needs, so movement in and out for care is normal.

• ✓ Is my loved one currently at Central Prison, and is this expected to be a temporary stop for admission or diagnostic processing?
• ✓ If medical or mental health treatment is needed, will care be provided at Central Prison or will another move be involved?
• ✓ Who is the best point of contact for questions about medical status and mental health treatment updates?
• ✓ What is the best way to confirm whether a transfer is planned or already in progress?
• ✓ Can you tell me the correct process to share urgent health information with the facility?

For updates about medical status, mental health treatment, or possible transfers related to care, call Central Prison directly at 919-733-0800. Since Central is the main medical and mental health treatment center for male offenders, the facility is often the right starting point when your questions involve treatment, current location, or whether someone is there for medical or mental health reasons.

1. Call Central Prison’s main line - Use 919-733-0800 and ask for help confirming your loved one’s current location.
2. Ask directly about admission, diagnostic, and treatment status - Find out whether they are there as an admission point, for diagnostic processing, or for medical or mental health treatment.
3. Clarify what happens next - Ask what the facility can share about transfer procedures and the best way to check back for updates if movement is possible.