Personal mail goes to TextBehind in Phoenix, MD, not the prison. Include the OPUS Number on every piece.
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Personal mail to Foothills Correctional Institution goes through TextBehind, a mail scanning service that delivers letters electronically to the person’s tablet. Do not mail letters to the prison in Morganton. Mail them to TextBehind’s processing center in Phoenix, Maryland. Include the person’s full legal name and OPUS Number in the address. Books and publications ship directly to the facility’s physical address. Legal mail goes directly to the facility, not through TextBehind.
Do not mail personal letters to Foothills at 5150 Western Ave. in Morganton. Personal mail goes to TextBehind first. Use this address:
Foothills Correctional Institution [Full Legal Name, OPUS Number] P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131
Put the person’s full legal name and OPUS Number on the second line, exactly as shown. Find the OPUS Number using the NC OPI inmate search if you do not have it.
Your return address must include your full first and last name. Initials only are not acceptable.
TextBehind receives your physical letter, scans it, and sends the scanned copy to the person’s tablet at Foothills electronically. The person reads it on their tablet. No physical copy reaches them inside.
What happens to the original? TextBehind keeps the original at their processing center. If you want the original returned, contact TextBehind at [email protected] within 30 days and pay a $2.50 return fee. After 30 days, originals are shredded.
TextBehind processes standard letters, cards, and photos that meet the following criteria:
These items are rejected and returned to the sender:
Photos must be standard format and contain no explicit content. Do not send photos showing weapons, drugs, alcohol, nudity, or gang imagery. TextBehind will scan and deliver photos that meet those standards.
Books, magazines, and other publications cannot go through TextBehind. Order them from the publisher or a retailer and have them shipped directly to the facility’s physical address:
5150 Western Ave., Morganton, NC 28655
Confirm with Foothills at (828) 475-7600 that the vendor is approved before ordering.
Legal mail does not go through TextBehind. Send attorney correspondence, court documents, and other privileged legal mail directly to:
Foothills Correctional Institution 5150 Western Ave. Morganton, NC 28655
Mark the envelope clearly as legal mail. Staff handle legal mail separately and open it in front of the person.
If TextBehind rejects your letter, it is returned to the sender’s address. Make sure your return address is complete and includes your full first and last name. If something cannot be returned because of a missing return address, it will be disposed of.
Do not put cash, checks, or money orders in your letter. TextBehind will not process envelopes containing money. Use ConnectNetwork to send money instead. See the send money guide for all deposit options.
TextBehind scans and delivers mail within one to two business days of receiving your letter. Add postal transit time from your location to Phoenix, MD.
The easiest way to send photos and letters to someone at Foothills Correctional Institution is through Pigeonly. Upload your photos or write your letter online, and Pigeonly prints and mails everything to the facility for you, following the mail rules listed above.
6 of 13 questions
Personal mail goes to TextBehind: Foothills Correctional Institution, [Full Legal Name, OPUS Number], P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. Do not send personal letters to the Morganton address.
MailTextBehind is a mail processing service. You mail your letter to their center in Phoenix, MD. They scan it and deliver it electronically to the person's tablet at Foothills.
MailYes. Include the person's full legal name and OPUS Number on the second line of the address. Without it, your letter may be returned or undeliverable.
MailYour full first and last name. Initials only are not accepted. Include your full street address, city, state, and ZIP code.
MailYes. Email [email protected] within 30 days and pay a $2.50 return fee. After 30 days, originals are shredded.
MailYes. Standard-sized photos are accepted if they do not contain explicit content, weapons, drugs, alcohol, nudity, or gang imagery. Oversized formats are not accepted. You can also send photos through Pigeonly, which prints and mails them for you.
MailBooks and publications cannot go through TextBehind. Order them from a publisher or retailer and ship directly to 5150 Western Ave., Morganton, NC 28655. Confirm with the facility at (828) 475-7600 that the vendor is approved.
MailNo. TextBehind will not process envelopes containing money. Use ConnectNetwork to send money to the person's trust fund account instead.
MailRejected items are returned to the sender's address. Make sure your full name and return address are on every envelope. If the return address is missing, the letter cannot be returned.
MailLegal mail goes directly to the facility, not through TextBehind. Send it to Foothills Correctional Institution, 5150 Western Ave., Morganton, NC 28655. Mark the envelope clearly as legal mail.
MailTextBehind processes mail within one to two business days of receiving it. Add postal transit time from your location to Phoenix, MD.
MailNo. Musical cards, pop-up cards, and cards with fabric or attached decorative items are not accepted by TextBehind. Send a standard flat card instead.
MailNo. Stamps and stationery are not accepted through TextBehind. Letters are delivered electronically to a tablet, so physical writing supplies are not part of the process.
MailGet the OPUS Number you need to address mail correctly through TextBehind.
View ArticleSend funds through ConnectNetwork instead of mailing cash or money orders.
View ArticlePlan an in-person visit. Call (828) 475-7600 or email [email protected].
View ArticleSet up AdvancePay or Getting Out video visits to stay in touch between letters.
View ArticleSearch for your loved one and start sending photos, letters, and messages today.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 7, 2026.