Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale
The Iowa Medical and Classification Center (IMCC), located in Coralville, currently houses an average daily population of approximately 950 offenders. IMCC serves as the reception and classification center for all those entering the adult male institutional corrections system, which is estimated to be 400-500 new commitments every month that are then processed on to the other facilities.
However, IMCC is a multi-faceted facility that employs a diversified professional workforce providing comprehensive services to both offenders and patients. A medium-security, general population unit is in operation at IMCC and the Center also runs the only licensed forensic psychiatric hospital in the state, providing inpatient psychiatric and evaluation services to non-adjudicated patients. An additional unit consisting of 178 medical and psychiatric beds was added in 2007 to meet the increasing mental health and medical needs of the correctional population.
In 1984, the facility’s capacity was increased to 300 beds by the construction of a reception/classification center and the institution officially became known as “The Iowa Medical and Classification Center.” The facility provided services both to the DOC offender population and to the psychiatric hospital units.
In 1990 and 1991, the facility’s capacity was again increased with the construction of four dormitory units, two for reception and two for general population.
Renovations to one of the old hospital units renewed 23 beds for a separate special needs unit in September of 2005, bringing the total capacity to 528 beds.
In July 2007, they opened the Special Needs Unit, which has since been dedicated as the Lowell D. Brandt Unit, which added another 178 beds for a total of 706. The planning for this unit began in 1998. The building contains an outpatient health clinic and offices, three medical housing units, and four celled behavioral units. The celled behavioral unit includes a therapeutic community unit, a secured observation unit, and two larger units for offenders with mental health diagnosis.
In total, IMCC has 22 housing units which have multiple specific functions. In addition, the facility has a warehouse which holds the recycling program and large equipment. The Power Plantーwhich houses the Pharmacy, the DOC File Repository, loading dock, maintenance shops and power generatorsーis attached to the main building by way of a tunnel.
Attached to the main building is the administration building which holds the Warden’s office area, the Business Office, IT and Human Resources offices in addition to the Training Room and CERT Training Room.
Prison Insights
Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale
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Visiting Hours and Rules
General Population and Patient Visiting Hours at Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale are:
- Thursday 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Friday 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Holidays 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Inmates who are in Reception are not allowed visits.
Visit Procedures
Before you can visit an inmate at Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale, you must get on their approved visiting list. In order to be on an offender’s visiting list, the visitor’s application must be completed and mailed to the Central Visiting Authority. If you have questions, please call Centralized Visiting at 319-385-9511. You can access the IDOC Visitation Application by clicking here.
All visitors are required to have current photo identification to get into the institution and they are be subject to search.
Searches may include, but are not limited to, a pat down, metal detectors, electronic ion scanners, other electronic devices, or visual searches. Staff of the same sex as the visitor shall conduct pat searches. Visitation will be denied if the visitor is not willing to submit to a required search.
Visitors may use a Debitek Card to purchase canteen items for their inmate during visits. The Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale has the written guidelines posted in the visiting room.
Dress Code
Visitors must be properly attired prior to entering the visiting room. The dress code at Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale is as follows:
- All visitors must wear shoes
- Visitors wearing miniskirts, shorts (that are above the knee), muscle shirts, see-through clothing or halter tops will not be allowed to visit
- Institutional procedure will address the wearing of shorts by children under 12
- Visitors wearing clothing with slogans, pictures, or words intended to deprecate race, sex, or cultural values shall not be allowed entry
- Visitors may be required to remove for the duration of the visit outerwear such as, but not limited to, coats, hats, gloves, or sunglasses
- A medical need for sunglasses must be verified by a prescription
Visitor Property
Items not allowed in the visiting room include:
- Weapons of any type (including pocket knives)
- Cell phones
- Any personal device with independent Internet connection capabilities (i.e., Kindle, Nook, Iphone, smart phone, smart watch with SIM card, etc.)
- Medications (unless necessary, i.e. nitro, etc.)
- Tools
- Cameras
- Tobacco/tobacco items (lighters)
Baby items allowed for visitors with infants:
- Two diapers
- Clear baby bottle (non-glass) with milk or formula only
- Clear sippy cup (empty)
- One baby blanket
- One burp cloth
- One factory sealed clear plastic container baby food
Physical Address
Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale
2700 Coral Ridge Ave.
Coralville, IA 52241
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/TNscznwakHzP3hF39
General Phone Number
(319)-626-2391
Inmate Mailing Address(es)
Inmate Name and DOC Number
Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale
2700 Coral Ridge Ave
Coralville, IA 52241
Envelopes must be properly addressed and include the offenders full name, IDOC Identification number, and valid return address.
If you would like to send an email to an inmate, you can register for O’mail at www.corrlinks.com. The cost for each O’mail sent is $0.25
How to Call an Inmate
You can’t call an Inmate at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale, but they do have access to a phone during assigned times, and they can call you. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Iowa, please click here.
How to Send Money
Inmate Banking
The Iowa Department of Corrections has centralized offender banking operations. All incoming money for offender spending/commissary accounts is received and handled by a central location, the Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale (FDCF).
All incoming money for an inmate’s account must be sent to the following address:
IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account
1550 L Street, Suite B
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
All deposits must be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order. All cashier’s checks and money orders must be made payable to: IDOC offender Fiduciary Account.
The cashier’s check or money order must include the following: offender name, offender number, sender’s name, and sender’s complete address. All writing should be legible. If the deposit does not follow these guidelines it will be returned to the sender by mail.
Access Corrections
Access Corrections deposit services provides friends and family an easy, reliable, and inexpensive way to send money to an incarcerated loved one in the Iowa Department of Corrections system.
- Online: visit www.accesscorrections.com for deposit rates starting at $3.49. Access Corrections accepts Visa and MasterCard credit or debit cards.
- Online: Make deposits directly from your CorrLinks account, the website used to send O-Mail messages (www.Corrlinks.com) and get the same low rates starting at $3.49. Just click on the “Send Money” button to get started.
- Toll Free Telephone Number: Call 1(866)345-1884 to make a credit or debit card payment over the phone for as low as $4.49.
- Walk-In: Don’t have a credit card or debit card? No problem! You can deposit at any:
- CashPayToday for a flat fee of $6.95.
- Visit www.cashpaytoday.com or call 1(844)344-CASH (2274) to register and find a location near you. You will need to provide the following information: Inmate ID #, your name, address, and other important information.
- Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Kum & Go stores are part of the CashPayToday program.
- ACE Cash Express* (www.acecashexpress.com) location for a flat fee of $5.95
- There is a $900.00 maximum limit per cash transaction.
JPay
JPay services are available for anyone wishing to send money to an offender in the Iowa Department of Corrections system.
- Online: The website www.JPay.com will accept payments made with a Visa or MasterCard-branded debit or credit card. Fees range from $3.95 to $10.95 based upon the deposit amount.
- Toll Free Telephone Number: Credit or debit card payments can also be made over the phone at (1-800-574-5729). Fees range from $4.95 to $11.95 based upon the deposit amount.
- WalkーIn Location: Cash payments can be made at any MoneyGram Agent location. There are 30,000 MoneyGram location in the United State, including Wal-Mart, CVS, 7-11, and Albertsons. A fee of $8.95 will apply for each transaction.
WESTERN UNION
The Iowa Department of Corrections accepts wire transfers from Western Union for Offender Accounts. This does NOT include telephone accounts. Money may be sent in any of the following three ways:
- Via the internet at www.westernunion.com/corrections
- By phone at 1-800-634-3422
- By walk – in cash payments at any Western Union site
The process used is “Quick Collect”. Senders’ must use the “Pay to” as the Iowa Dept of Corrections. The “Code City” is IOWADOC and the “State” is IA. The “Sender’s account #” is the offender ID number and offenders last name. For example, 1234567Jones.
If the offender number and last name do not match the IDOC records the payment will be rejected. Fees for this service vary by amount sent.
Programs For Inmates
Educational opportunities available to IMCC offenders/patients include instruction towards completion of their GED, Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, Vocational, post-secondary, and special education classes are provided for those meeting eligibility requirements.
Forensic Psychiatric Hospital
The licensed Forensic Psychiatric Hospital (FPH) provides forensic services in a 28-bed facility.
The patients in this unit have not been adjudicated to serve prison sentences. They are court-ordered to the FPH for evaluation for competency to stand trial and/or for restoration to competency to stand trial. The Forensic Hospital is utilized by State courts, mental health facilities, and county jails. It is licensed by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, and is required to abide by the law as defined in the Iowa Administrative Code, Section 481, Chapter 51, "Hospitals."
The Mission: "We strive to meet the needs of our patients, the public and the Iowa Judicial System, through the provision of evaluations, treatments and care for those patients who are: Awaiting competency evaluation, Receiving treatment to restore competency, Discharged from prison, but who are civilly committed and awaiting appropriate placement; and, Found not guilty by reason of insanity."
The Forensic Hospital is staffed by a director and assistant directors, psychiatrist, registered nurses, correctional officers, administrative support, and other treatment staff such as a social worker, counselor, and activities specialist. The average length of stay for a forensic patient is approximately 73 days.
Reception Program
The purpose of the first addition to the original facility that was completed and opened in September 1984 was to coordinate all DOC reception activities at one location. As a result, IMCC receives all new male DOC commitments. The DOC also receives OWI offenders who are waiting for beds in community residential facilities.
The reception process for new offenders includes accomplishment of essential intake activities, initiation of the central offender record, comprehensive health screening and necessary health services, basic orientation to Iowa’s correctional system, and other assessments such as psychological/psychiatric and educational.
At the conclusion of the reception program offenders receive their initial classification and institutional assignment based on demographic information, assessment results, custody level, and program needs of the offender. The Reception Center’s transportation section then completes the transfer of the offender to the assigned institution.
Workers Program
The IMCC workers program is intended to provide a pool of general population offenders for work assignments within the institution. The work assignments include housekeeping, dietary, laundry, garden and grounds, maintenance, clerical and recreation positions.
In addition to a work assignment, offenders assigned to the workers program are expected to be involved in other treatment programs including education, counseling, and recreation activities. Offenders have an opportunity to earn extra privileges, such as additional visiting time and more access to leisure activities through a level incentive program.
Offenders often transfer from the workers program to other institutions to become involved in pre-release programs. Others are paroled, sent to work release programs or discharged directly from the IMCC workers program.
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Careers at Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale
If you are interested in a career with the Iowa Department of Corrections at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center - Oakdale, you can click here for more information.
