Mail, photos, messaging, and phone/call options for staying in touch.
Communication at MCF Willow River works differently than you might expect. Phone calls are outgoing only—the incarcerated person places the call, and you can't dial in or be transferred. The good news: calls are free. Phone calls and electronic messages are monitored for security, and messages that pose safety risks won't be delivered. The DOC requires a 15-minute gap between calls to ensure fair access. For video visits and electronic messaging, use JPay. Coordinate a date and time with the incarcerated person, then schedule through JPay (Video Visitation > Schedule New Visit). You can edit or delete visits from the Video Visits page. Video sessions come in 30-minute blocks and require a JPay account with a Visa or MasterCard on file.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Trying to reach someone at MCF Willow River? The key thing to understand is that phone contact works in reverse: your loved one calls you, not the other way around. Here's how calls work, what
Using JPay to stay in touch with someone at MCF Willow River? Stamps are your main expense. Here's how message stamps work, what extras like photos and VideoGrams cost, and what to do when something won't go through.
If you don't want contact from someone incarcerated in a Minnesota correctional facility, you can request a No Contact Directive from the Minnesota DOC. This isn't a court order — it's a direct way to tell DOC you don't want to receive contact from that person.
To get your letter to the right person at MCF Willow River, write the incarcerated person’s full name in the “deliver to” address. Use their legal name (not a nickname) so it matches MN DOC records.
If you're surprised that your letter doesn't arrive as an untouched original, you're not imagining it. At MCF Willow River, incoming physical mail is opened and scanned before your loved one receives it.
No. Only incarcerated people at MCF Willow River can place outgoing calls, and callers can’t dial the facility or be transferred to an incarcerated person. Calls placed by incarcerated people are free.
After you agree on a date and time with the incarcerated person, schedule the video visit through JPay by going to Video Visitation and selecting “Schedule New Visit.” To change or cancel, use the Video Visits page: click Edit to update a visit or Delete in the Video Visit box and confirm.
JPay messages cost one stamp per message, and each stamp is $0.40; photo attachments cost an extra stamp. VideoGrams are 30‑second video clips sent through the JPay mobile app. If a message fails to deliver, contact JPay customer support at 800‑574‑5729.
Yes. Incoming mail is opened and scanned, and a digital copy is provided to the person in custody. The original isn’t guaranteed to be delivered or returned.
Write the incarcerated person’s full name, DOC OID number, and the facility name. Spell out the state as “Minnesota” (don’t abbreviate it).
Use JPay to send money, and include the incarcerated person’s name, OID number, and facility with the payment. Don’t send cash through the mail—use the approved electronic option instead.
If your loved one is at MCF Willow River, you'll need their Minnesota DOC Offender ID (OID) to stay in touch. This number comes up constantly—for sending mail, depositing money through JPay, and more. Find it once, save it somewhere accessible, and you're set.
Setting up a first video visit can feel like a lot of moving parts. Handle eligibility first, then follow the JPay screens in order — scheduling a visit with someone at MCF Willow River is usually straightforward.
Video visits should be the easy option—but one small tech glitch can eat up your whole session. Run through this checklist to make sure your device, connection, and JPay account are ready before your visit starts.
