How to Address Mail to Someone at MCF Rush City: Required Elements and What to Expect

Start with the incarcerated person's full name. Use the exact name the DOC has on file and double-check the spelling. The name is one of the main identifiers used to route mail at MCF Rush City.

Add the DOC OID number right next to their name. The OID is the most reliable way to identify your loved one, especially if someone else at the facility has a similar name. It helps prevent mail from going to the wrong person.

Include the facility name on the address: "MCF Rush City." Even with the correct name and OID, the facility name matters for processing and internal routing within the DOC system.

Write out "Minnesota" in full. Do not abbreviate it. Here's what the required elements look like together: Full Name, OID# (number), MCF Rush City, Minnesota.

Your physical mail will be opened and scanned as part of DOC processing. The envelope and contents do not go straight from your mailbox to your loved one's hands the way regular mail does.

After scanning, a copy of your mail is what gets delivered. Your loved one receives a scanned version of what you sent, not the original physical letter.

The Minnesota DOC describes third-party mail scanning as a step to reduce drug contraband entering facilities. From their perspective, changing how mail is handled is part of a broader effort to keep substances out and make facilities safer.

One detail that surprises families: some DOC facility mail is routed through a third-party P.O. box instead of going directly to a facility address. For example, the DOC's sample for MCF-St. Cloud shows mail addressed to the facility name and "Minnesota," but sent to a P.O. Box in Phoenix, Maryland. This is just an example of how routing can work. Do not assume MCF Rush City uses the same P.O. box or routing.

• ✓ Use the incarcerated person’s full name every time.
• ✓ Add the DOC OID number (this is required).
• ✓ Include the facility name (for example, “MCF Rush City”).
• ✓ Spell out “Minnesota,” do not abbreviate it.
• ✓ Expect your physical mail to be opened and scanned as part of DOC processing.
• ✓ Remember that your loved one is provided a scanned copy of what you send.
• ✓ Verify whether MCF Rush City mail is routed through a third-party P.O. box or service before you send anything time-sensitive.
• ✓ Keep a copy of what you sent (and your mailing receipt, if you have one), in case you need to resend.

Want one official place to double-check the basics? The Minnesota DOC Friends and Family handbook is designed to help families stay connected with incarcerated loved ones. It's a helpful reference for confirming how to address mail and what to expect after you send it.