CA Jail Geeks

[clement]

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10 years ago, I was steeped in niche academic CL and would never have dreamed of going the jail route. Sure, forensics has always piqued my interest (if you count kicking out hundreds of malingerers from psych ER’s over the years).

One promise to myself I failed to honor was briefly accepting an OP gig…On the basis of it offering hybrid work and being family friendly. I barely lasted 6 months before croaking. I’m cut out for jail, CL, ER, not OP, and am fairly removed from traditional IP.

Put simply, jail is the most boring and predictable work I’ve ever taken on for the most money I have ever earned. And I work in the highest liability setting in jail (receiving area) but I don’t see anyone more than once because that’s how I’ve liked it for most of my career.

Here’s the issue:

The commute is annoying, the hours are long, they won’t do part time unless you’re an hourly 1099 w/o benefits, and you do have to deal with the occasional jail psychologist power trip royale scenario.

Overall, it’s not a family friendly job in a lot of respects. I’m just trying to get my loans discharged while making very good bank.

I’m thinking of staying on as a contractor but really need to find a hybrid or tele gig that is not OP.

The options had been Vituity tele ER vs state hospital tele work in CA. I don’t even know if the state hospitals have tele openings. I haven’t been maneuvering SMI continuously w/ polypharmacy in years, though I could manage (no pun intended).

It seems CDCR stopped recruiting for tele (someone on here told me to check their Diamond Bar site- but they totally snubbed me after filling up and their recruiters seem to have a high turnover rate).

Anyone have the scoop on Coalinga ?tele or the Women’s Correctional Institute (not tele, but accessible).

 

[comp1]

Indeed as someone who also absolutely hates every minute of outpatient, you are describing a dream job. Unfortunately full time telework has indeed pretty much disappeared. They have more than enough internal people to fill those Elk Grove and Diamond Bar positions. Here are the open job listings (plus a few psychologists I can't filter out): CalCareers

Since you said Corona, I'm assuming Inland Empire? I can't quite tell where you are.

 

[clement]

Indeed as someone who also absolutely hates every minute of outpatient, you are describing a dream job. Unfortunately full time telework has indeed pretty much disappeared. They have more than enough internal people to fill those Elk Grove and Diamond Bar positions. Here are the open job listings (plus a few psychologists I can't filter out): CalCareers

Since you said Corona, I'm assuming Inland Empire? I can't quite tell where you are.

Inland empire would be a consideration, especially since CDCR tele sounds like a wash (supposedly Diamond Bar was not filling that quickly early on). I think there was also some kind of contractual issue with the physician union and CDCR hiring for remote work which discouraged further recruitment.

The Women’s Correctional Institute also came up favorably (but wasn’t hiring for a while). I assume CDCR doesn’t offer part time W2.

I thought there still might be some hope for DSH with tele.

Jail wise, Riverside jails are getting bad press, like others…It’s sort of the norm. And I think San Bernardino is run by Liberty (not great supposedly).

 

[FatherPsychiatry]

Anyone have the scoop on Coalinga ?tele or the Women’s Correctional Institute (not tele, but accessible).

I also work in a jail full time (Los Angeles), but one of our sporadic contractors here does full time Coalinga tele (from the hub in Metro SH) and says its the most chill job. I don't know if they're still recruiting.

I don’t see anyone more than once because that’s how I’ve liked it for most of my career.

LOL I remember in residency how I thought I wanted to do outpatient to build long term relationships with patients. Now, I get annoyed when I get a followup patient. I don't work reception primarily, but when I do its some of my favorite work.

 

[clement]

I also work in a jail full time (Los Angeles), but one of our sporadic contractors here does full time Coalinga tele (from the hub in Metro SH) and says its the most chill job. I don't know if they're still recruiting.

LOL I remember in residency how I thought I wanted to do outpatient to build long term relationships with patients. Now, I get annoyed when I get a followup patient. I don't work reception primarily, but when I do its some of my favorite work.

Ah well then greetings, perhaps we’ve crossed paths. I’m meeting a lot of burnt out cap and ex academia/crap pay/work hard folk that turned to corrections.
From what Ive unearthed Cdcr and Dsh both seem intent on recruiting for tele but one is exclusively 13-14 hour night shifts (cdcr, coveted day shifts are dibbed out internally). I imagine dsh is a lot of Zyprexa 60 and managing titrate to side effect (or to blunted affect).
cdcr tele is crisis diffusion at 3am. Neither is especially appealing, but decent deals considering televulture OP corps don’t comp well and suck on volume.

 

[psych_0]

while making very good bank.

Do tell. Don't leave us hanging here. What does this pay?

 

[FatherPsychiatry]

Do tell. Don't leave us hanging here. What does this pay?

I'm not clement, but for LA County jail employees (W2, benefits, pension etc), the salary is low 400's to around 475k depending on your board certifications (5.5% bonus if you are board certified, another 2.75% if you have pretty much any second board). I have two boards (general + forensic) and my salary is ~$467,000, going up to $480,000 starting 1/1/2025. Contractors reportedly get somewhere between $250-$300 depending on their agency although none of them have ever told me exact $s.

Ah well then greetings, perhaps we’ve crossed paths. I’m meeting a lot of burnt out cap and ex academia/crap pay/work hard folk that turned to corrections.
From what Ive unearthed Cdcr and Dsh both seem intent on recruiting for tele but one is exclusively 13-14 hour night shifts (cdcr, coveted day shifts are dibbed out internally). I imagine dsh is a lot of Zyprexa 60 and managing titrate to side effect (or to blunted affect).
cdcr tele is crisis diffusion at 3am. Neither is especially appealing, but decent deals considering televulture OP corps don’t comp well and suck on volume.

Wouldn't be surprised, at the very most with 1-2 degrees of separation I bet we've worked with the same people. Always surprises me when a contractor floats in, and recognizes another contractor from working together 15 years ago in West Valley jail or Folsom prison or Patton State or something, and they shoot the dirt about all the psychiatrists they somehow mutually know from all their jobs in between.

One of the guys here does the CDCR overnight gig full time as W2, and said that its moderately busy until 1-2 AM and then barely any calls until the morning crew comes on. Last I talked to him was about a year ago so not sure if it changed.

 

[clement]

Good tidbits. Thanks…
I’m hearing of some dsh cdcr and county double dipping. Nice if it can be swung.
Contractors seem to be on shaky ground though now 2/2 county overspending.