The Division of Health Services envisions correctional facilities as public health stations that significantly impact the larger community. The staff promotes healthcare excellence by providing constitutionally-consistent and cost-effective quality healthcare through a collaborative partnership between internal and external healthcare professionals.
The Division of Health Services is responsible for providing comprehensive healthcare to people incarcerated in state correctional institutions. This includes medical, dental, mental health, and inpatient services delivered by a team of experienced professionals committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate, and constitutionally consistent healthcare. From intake through release, Health Services ensures that every individual receives appropriate, continuous care that promotes health, supports rehabilitation, and contributes to public safety and reduced recidivism.
Health Services focuses on prevention, early identification, and effective management of health conditions. Upon entry into prison, each individual undergoes a thorough health evaluation that includes a physical examination, mental health screening, dental screening, and updated immunizations. This process helps determine an individual’s medical and mental health acuity level, guiding housing assignments and the level of medical and mental health care required to meet each person’s health needs.
All state correctional facilities across North Carolina are equipped to provide routine outpatient primary care medicine. Health Services staff coordinate telehealth appointments and off-site specialty consultations when additional expertise is required.
Health Services - Frequently Asked Questions
Medical Centers
Two major medical centers—the Central Prison Healthcare Complex and the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women Healthcare Complex (NCCIW) - serve as regional care referral centers, offering inpatient acute care, ambulatory care, and inpatient and residential mental health services. These facilities also provide a full range of specialty clinics, including but not limited to, orthopedics, podiatry, nephrology, audiology, ophthalmology, optometry, and advanced dental care such as oral surgery and endodontics. While most healthcare needs are managed within the correctional system, Health Services also partners with community hospitals and community practitioners for emergency or highly specialized care.
Pharmacies
Health Services also operates three NCDAC pharmacies: the Apex Central Pharmacy, the Central Prison Healthcare Complex Pharmacy, and the NCCIW Pharmacy. Apex Central Pharmacy dispenses medications statewide, while the in-house facilities at Central Prison and NCCIW primarily serve those populations. Pharmacists play an integral role in medication management and clinical consultation, ensuring the most effective and cost-conscious treatment options are available to meet patient needs.
Together, these divisions and services reflect Health Services’ mission to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care that promotes wellness, restores health, and supports the safe and successful reintegration of individuals into their communities.