The MDOC Religious Programs Departments is comprised of chaplains and religious volunteers who serve the inmate population and facilities with the mission of promoting and delivering quality spiritual life services in the areas of worship leadership, religious education and crisis intervention related to death or critical illness. This department seeks to provide professional response from staff chaplains and qualified religious certified volunteers in the delivery of a variety of spiritual life programs toward integrating faith-based tenets and activities to meet the needs of the offender population within the orderly operation of prison facilities.

Each state institution and private prison facility employ staff chaplains to provide verification and response to emergency incidents affecting offenders in circumstances such as death or critical illness of a family member. Each regional facility has a part-time minister for such emergency responses. Chaplains also serve as the Volunteer Coordinator for each facility, providing orientation and supervision for volunteers approved to provide services within corrections.