Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit

Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit is a 23-bed, medium-security facility that is located on the eighth floor of the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. This is the primary acute medical care facility for male and female inmates in the Massachusetts Department of Correction.

This facility was established in 1974 as a federally-funded pilot program, and five years later the commonwealth of Massachusetts took control from the federal government. An out-patient clinic was constructed in 1987, which can accommodate 100 outpatient inmates.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

The SHCU visiting hours on 8 North are as follows: 

• Monday & TuesdayㅡVisitation will be limited to end of life visits, or, if staffing permits, with the Superintendent’s approval 
• Wednesday through Fridayㅡ6:00 PM to 8:00 PM 
• Sunday/Saturday 1:30-2:30 PM & 3:30 to 7:30 PM 
• Holidays 1:30-2:30 PM & 3:30 to 7:30 PM

General Visiting Rules

Only one visit per week is authorized for inmates that meet the long-term requirement. Requests to receive more than one visit per week must be approved by the Superintendent, or his designee, and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. 

Visitors must contact the Correctional Program Officer directly in order to request to schedule a visit. The maximum number of visitors per inmate allowed on any one day is two to include a minor. 

Visits are limited to a one-hour period per inmate, once a week unless otherwise authorized by the Superintendent. Inmates in imminent danger of death may have visits on a regular basis only after the Superintendent has approved. 

A two-hour visit may be scheduled for visitors traveling over 75 miles. Visitors should inform the Correctional Program Officer when scheduling the visit that they are requesting a two-hour visit due to excessive travel distance. 

All visits must be scheduled twenty-four hours in advance by calling 617-971-3710. 

Immediate family members are allowed to visit an inmate. Immediate family is defined as: mother, father, brother, sister, wife, son, daughter, grandmother, and grandfather. An uncle, aunt, or foster parents who acted as a parent and can provide proper documentation, will be considered immediate family. 

The immediate family member must also be listed on the inmate’s “RELEASE OF PATIENT STATUS INFORMATION” form upon the inmate’s admission to the SHCU and is limited to four people.

All potential visitors must consent to, and pass, a CORI check as well as be run through the PASS system to determine that they have not been barred from any DOC facility before scheduling a visit. This will be done by the CPO. 

Visitors are required to produce a photo ID such as, Drivers License, Mass ID, or a card issued by the Department of Transitional Assistance. No Exceptions will be allowed without the authorization of the Superintendent or his designee. 

All visitors must report directly to the Campus Police Office who will notify 8 North Control of their arrival. A DOC Officer will escort the visitor(s) to the 8 North trap where they will receive a personal search and be scanned with a mini frisker. 

All searches will be completed prior to the visitor being allowed entrance into the Unit. 

Visitors are expected to dress in compliance with the approved dress code as posted at the entrance of 8 North. Visitors not abiding by this code will be denied entrance. 

Smoking and tobacco related products will not be allowed in 8 North, the DOC Holding Area, or any other area of the hospital in which inmates may be present. Visitors may not bring in any kind of food, beverages, valuables, medication, or other contraband items. 

All items other than a wedding band and or religious medal must be secured in a locker. Unauthorized items brought into the Unit could result in the loss of visiting privileges and/or criminal prosecution. 

Packages and/or money will not be accepted at the SHCU. No glitterㅡincluding glitter makeupㅡis allowed onto the unit.

InfantsㅡVisitors entering with infants will be allowed to enter with the following items: Two clear plastic bottles with either formula, milk, water, or juice, one empty sippy cup, two infant diapers and infant wipes in a clear plastic bag, one receiving blanket, one pacifier, two plastic sealed jars/pouches of baby food, one plastic spoon, and one bib.

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Programs For Inmates

Lemuel Shattuck Hospital operates clinics and inpatient services for correctional facilities across Massachusetts. They provide treatment to inmates from over two dozen state and county correctional facilities across the Commonwealth operated by both the Massachusetts Department of Correction and several County Corrections offices. The hospital offers an array of general acute, sub-acute, medical, psychiatric, and rehabilitative programs and specialty units for inmate care.

Inpatient services include a secure, 28 bed unit; specialized rehabilitation therapy areas; and a dedicated ambulatory care area for day treatments. The program is coordinated with the University of Massachusetts Correctional Health, the managed care contractor for the Department of Corrections (DOC), with whom they coordinate and collaborate on clinical programs. 

Clinics at the correctional facilities operated by Lemuel Shattuck Hospital and an expanding telemedicine program have greatly improved and streamlined medical services to inmates throughout the system.

Key program elements include:

• A 28 bed inpatient secure hospital unit
• Dedicated outpatient holding and examination rooms for Correctional patients
• Specialty clinics provided at Correctional facilities such as Surgery, Orthopedics, Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Infectious Disease/AIDS, etc.
• Chemotherapy infusion services
• Telemedicine access for educational, consultative, and emergency evaluations
• Dental and Oral Surgery clinics
• Dialysis Center
• Radiology services including MCI Framingham on-site mammography
• Clinical conferences held jointly between hospital and on-site primary care staff
• Medical education services
• Telephone consultations
• Joint medical administrative conferences
• 24-hour hospital medical and surgical services

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Careers at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit

If you are interested in a career with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections at the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit, you can find job listings by clicking here.