Beyond the Badge, CDCR Weekender, Division of Adult Parole Operations

Meet Andrea Lackovic, clinical psychologist

February 7, 2025

Andrea Lackovic, DAPO clinical psychologist with some of the dogs she's fostered. One was shot and beaten, another had its ears cut with scissors, and another is blind. She says it helps her balance work with life.

When Clinical Psychologist Andrea Lackovic ends her workday, she goes from serving people to helping medically challenged dogs.

At Behavioral Health Reintegration (BHR) in the Bakersfield office of the Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO), Lackovic finds devoting her spare time to helping animals is a way to achieve balance.

Inside CDCR caught up with Andrea Lackovic to discuss her career, hobbies, and how she balances work and life.

Q&A with Andrea Lackovic, Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist

Why did you choose to work for the department?

After working in human services alongside law enforcement, from an emergency room social worker to a forensic interviewer, I saw the emotional and physical devastation of victims of serious crime and offenses. After going back to school and getting my doctorate, I wanted to enhance my experience working with offenders in a particular offense category long term, rather than just short term.

I saw working with offenders as a preventative measure. Perhaps preventing just one more future victim, in turn, reduces recidivism. I also saw CDCR as an excellent way (to do this). In addition to a midlife career change, I was encouraged to apply by my school friend. She had been working for CDCR for a year.

What some of the biggest changes you’ve seen at CDCR?

I have worked for CDCR since 2007, from the corrections side to DAPO BHR. Besides seeing major changes in policy and practice, one of the biggest has been a push for mental health awareness. This reduces the stigma regarding mental health and suicide prevention. I don’t think it’s just empty words. (For example), peer support assists staff after an incident, helping the employee (and) their family when they get home.

The culture is slowly shifting to talk openly about mental health and prevention. Also, it’s OK to not always be OK. This includes the law enforcement, corrections, and the parole agent side as well as support and free staff. Those who work in corrections see and hear things others normally wouldn’t. Being human, it can impact us — in the short and long term, even if we aren’t aware of it. It can build.

Letting each other know it’s OK to talk to each other, that if we are having a hard time at work or at home, as well as seeking a therapist — it’s OK. It’s more than OK to talk to someone just to deal with a particular incident. It doesn’t mean you are weak or going to lose your job.

Dr. Alexa Wasserman holds a monthly Be Well virtual town hall for all DAPO staff: parole agents, mental health, parole service associates, and support staff. It’s a safe space and acknowledgement that wellness and balance is important. She, along with others, encourage us to maintain our total wellness.

What’s a typical day like in your job?

With coffee in hand, a typical day involves addressing my daily updated caseload, obtaining and reading the details in crime records, and completing Static 99 risk assessments. I have contact with my peers and our subject matter expert to consult. The parole services associates are awesome in assisting to get information and records.

When there is a particularly devastating case I am dealing with that day or for several days, my peers and supervisor are there for support and humor. I attend meetings and volunteer for different projects such as Be Well and Peer Support when given the opportunity.

How do you balance work and home life?

I make a point that every day after work to do something fun for me. That happens to involve my rescue dogs or other animals, reading, or volunteering. I also make sure that I speak with a friend daily about non-work-related issues. I do have to admit that when something I have read is particularly traumatic — on my break I go read for a few minutes. Or my favorite, share a funny meme.

How does your hobby help achieve balance?

One of my hobbies involves adopting, fostering, and transporting mostly senior and medically compromised Dobermans.

For over 25 years, it has been my outlet for shifting my mind and energy, especially when it has been a particularly stressful day. It completely recharges me.

Playing with them or caring for their special medical needs allows my mind to focus on something else. I can feel the day’s stress just wash away when caring for them or laughing hysterically at their antics. I have had dogs that have been severely abused, starved, beaten, and shot, yet they are so resilient, forgiving, and loving.

They teach me unconditional love, courage, resilience, and forgiveness. I have had temporary fosters in my home considered unadoptable for various reason. After training and rehabilitation, they have been adopted out to wonderful families in new forever homes.

With abandoned senior dogs, it’s rewarding giving them a home with the best life possible and spoiling them until they cross the rainbow bridge. Wow, those seniors just love on you.

With first-time Doberman adopters, I help them understand the quirks of owning a Doberman because they aren’t for everybody.

Last year I volunteered to be on the advisory board of First Responder Therapy Dogs. It’s a wonderful program in almost every state involving a certified dog going out providing support to first responders. They help at fire camps, police departments, dispatch centers, emergency rooms, ceremonies and celebrations of life for first responders who have passed.

The therapy dogs visit jails and correctional facilities, and even active-duty military camps for those who have just returned from a deployment.

The handlers don’t do the interaction with the first responder, the dogs do it. They are amazing.

What advice do you have for others thinking about joining CDCR?

It is a great opportunity for experience, advancement, job and financial security, as well as retirement and healthcare benefits. CDCR also offers an excellent opportunity for knowledge and the ability to contribute in ways the public isn’t aware of but is very much needed. Once hired, if you are given an opportunity to be part of a task or project, see it as an opportunity and take it.

Have you had any mentors?

I have had some fantastic mentors such as Dr. Coffin and Dr. Fabrizio, as well as officers and sergeants. They have provided me with knowledge you can’t get out of a book, support, opportunities, and more. They’ve allowed me to see the micro-moment as well as the macro big picture of multidisciplinary services.

Submitted by the Division of Adult Parole Operations

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