CDCR/DMH MTA's

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Specializes in Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care.

I know that the MTA position was eliminated throughout the CDCR, but I recently discovered that the position still exists within the Dept. of Mental Health inpatient clinics at Salinas Valley and Vacaville prisons. These positions are primarily mental health nursing but are also Peace Officer positions. I am a recent LVN grad but have extensive paid experience in a variety of medical modalities including Hyperbaric Medicine and Sleep Medicine. Does anyone have any good information/advice regarding these positions? The pay scale seems extremely attractive, especially for an LVN. I would be especially interested in hearing from any former or current MTA's. Thanks...

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I am going off of someone else's info here, so bear with me..

MTAs are basically cops (or COs) with some medical skills.

The pay is somewhere around 7k, topping out to 7600... MTAs, like other state police and fire make a 3% vested in 5 year state retirement at 50y.o.. RNs only make at scaled percent, starting well below that, and going as high as 2.5%, but also vested and at 55 if desired...

Your medical take on the CO position may put you in line for correctional councilor, parole officer, or case manager type positions if you wanted to go that route after MTA, whereas the typical CO might just be inclined or able to stay as a CO... You will be ranked like a CO though, sargeant, lt, etc.

I do believe that CDCR still employs LVNs at some of their facilites(CDCR and DMH) (pay from 3.8k to 5k dep on facility), and would recommend that if you want to continue to be a nurse, stay on that route, as the MTA is not a nurse by a long shot, as was described to me.. Again, i am not going off of experience, so take this with a grain of salt! I can only imagine that it wouldn't be a great feat to finish your RN during your service, and move to RN, where the pay is well over 8k--...

Here is a listing of internet open exams for med positions, I suggest you get in and take the test ASAP. (its not really a test, but a qualification eval)... There are thousands in line for the RN positions, I can imagine the same or worse for LPN...

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Career_Opportunities/HR/OPS/Exams/Exams_Medical/index.html

as evidenced by this link, I believe that the MTA position is there officially, but is likely being completely phased out. Most ex-MTAs at other facilities went to full CO's as the pay was better than the LPN job, and since they were essentially COs anyway.... Maybe not though.

http://www.dmh.ca.gov/Jobs/docs/MTA%20Handout%20With%20Photos.pdf

this link's info regarding the pay is not current or accurate. The current pay is around 7k to start, as I have heard, for salinas and vacaville MTAs.

Please double check all of this, but I just thought I would give you a heads up...

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.

I work as an MTA at the Vacaville, ca prison.

It is a great job with the best pay and retirement out there for an LVN.

Highly recommend the position to any lvn.

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.
I am going off of someone else's info here, so bear with me..

MTAs are basically cops (or COs) with some medical skills.

The pay is somewhere around 7k, topping out to 7600... MTAs, like other state police and fire make a 3% vested in 5 year state retirement at 50y.o.. RNs only make at scaled percent, starting well below that, and going as high as 2.5%, but also vested and at 55 if desired...

Your medical take on the CO position may put you in line for correctional councilor, parole officer, or case manager type positions if you wanted to go that route after MTA, whereas the typical CO might just be inclined or able to stay as a CO... You will be ranked like a CO though, sargeant, lt, etc.

I do believe that CDCR still employs LVNs at some of their facilites(CDCR and DMH) (pay from 3.8k to 5k dep on facility), and would recommend that if you want to continue to be a nurse, stay on that route, as the MTA is not a nurse by a long shot, as was described to me.. Again, i am not going off of experience, so take this with a grain of salt! I can only imagine that it wouldn't be a great feat to finish your RN during your service, and move to RN, where the pay is well over 8k--...

Here is a listing of internet open exams for med positions, I suggest you get in and take the test ASAP. (its not really a test, but a qualification eval)... There are thousands in line for the RN positions, I can imagine the same or worse for LPN...

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Career_Opportunities/HR/OPS/Exams/Exams_Medical/index.html

as evidenced by this link, I believe that the MTA position is there officially, but is likely being completely phased out. Most ex-MTAs at other facilities went to full CO's as the pay was better than the LPN job, and since they were essentially COs anyway.... Maybe not though.

http://www.dmh.ca.gov/Jobs/docs/MTA%20Handout%20With%20Photos.pdf

this link's info regarding the pay is not current or accurate. The current pay is around 7k to start, as I have heard, for salinas and vacaville MTAs.

Please double check all of this, but I just thought I would give you a heads up...

Your information about MTA in CDCR is way off. We were very much medical, treating stabbings, gunshot wounds.etc. Anything you see in a ER room, we saw as an MTA. You also grossly inflated the pay scale of state LVN's. In the DMH...the MTA position is more custory based, but still requires an LVN, RN, or psych tech license.

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your information about mta in cdcr is way off. we were very much medical, treating stabbings, gunshot wounds.etc. anything you see in a er room, we saw as an mta. you also grossly inflated the pay scale of state lvn's. in the dmh...the mta position is more custory based, but still requires an lvn, rn, or psych tech license.

first off, i hope i didn't come off down on cops, mtas, cos, lvns or anyone else for that matter... i have a high respect for the people who do a job that society requires and depends upon.

if they were very medical in scope and practice, then why did most of them become cos when offered the position? not arguing, it just strikes me odd when a medical professional becomes a correctional officer (and vice versa for that matter). unless of course that didn't happen, and my info was wrong. i check out a co forum that stated that point several times about mtas taking co positions rather than leaving.

i hoped to make the impression in my post, that while it is origninally considered a medical position, today, an mta is not as "medical" a position in it's current form with the dmh, as it was when utilized in the cdcr.. of course, i am going off of hearsay, as this board is not exactly overflowing with current info from our nursing brothers and sisters in corrections/dmh.

my estimate for lvn wage is based off of the cdcr website, in the "job's for healthcare professionals" section.. here is the exam bulletin:

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/career_opportunities/hr/ops/exams/exams_medical/pdfs/licensedvocationalnurse_o_c.pdf

**edit** i did erroneously state the figure of salary for cdcr and dmh.. dmh pay scale is significantly lower than cdcr...**

thanks for setting the record straight. any other tips or suggestions regarding employment outlook? (rn/lvn/mta)?

i put in for most of the facilities in northern california from the cdcr site about 2 months ago, and see that some people are still getting called up.

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.

The state LVn's brought in to replace the MTA's were offered $2,000 less a month than the mtas were making. Plus the retirement went from a 3.0 at 50 to a 2.5 at 55. It was a no brainer why so many MTAs went to be Co's. MTA s and co's share the same retirement.

MTA's became officers because the medical job were were offered (state LVN) was not apealing for the above reasons.

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