State of California employment question

shell911rn · Jul 18, 2007

"Getting hired by the State of California seems difficult! Is it easier getting hired by the Mental Health Department versus Corrections? Do MHD RN's get paid alot less than correctional? Seems so with stated salary on state's website. Any information on this subject would be so appreciated! I have been on a quest to get hired by the state and so far no luck! Thanks for any help on this subject."

It is difficult right now to get hired by the State because the pay and benefits are among the best in the state. It would be a lot easier to get hired by DMH right now than CDCR because CDCR hired a lot of DMH nurses who wanted the better salary that DMH wasn't offering. But, now the courts are starting to correct the salary difference because this was causing serious staffing problems at DMH, so DMH salaries are supposed to be equated with or come close to CDCR's salaries. I recommend getting in with whomever will hire you first. You can always apply to transfer to CDCR later after you have finished probation and have had good evaluations from your supervisor. We have several nurses from DMH who transferred to CDCR. Get your foot in the door as soon as you can!

tirzo13 · Jul 18, 2007

At this time the process is much faster at the DMH.

Nurses go back and forth between DMH and CDC when there is a big change in pay, then they go back when it equalizes.

right now example is ASH will pay RN's starting 6600.

down the hill the mens colony pays 7200+.

Up in the bay Napa will pay you about the same as ASH, down the way San Quintin will pay you 7200-8000.

Which is the same pay they will start you at here at Salinas.

THere is also a DMH inside of the Salinas prison here, i believe the RN's get the same rate as the prison RN"s here, but not sure.

Prisons are alot safer and since there is alot more of them, more places to transfer to, however, not too hard to transfer from DMH to CDC and back.