About the Author

Wanda J. Carroll is an educator, advocate, and facilitator dedicated to helping individuals build accountability, heal from harm, and create lasting change. She is a Professor in the Behavioral Sciences and Human Services Department at Clinton Community College (SUNY), where she teaches Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice courses. She also teaches in the School of Business and Economics at SUNY, with expertise in Supply Chain Management, Business Communication, and Ethics.Wanda is the lead facilitator of the PACT (Personal Accountability Changing Tomorrows) program at Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN), an evidence-based domestic violence intervention program that helps individuals address violent and controlling behaviors. Her professional expertise spans trauma-informed care, restorative justice, behavior change, and ethics, and she has developed and delivered trainings for law enforcement, manufacturing leadership, and behavioral health professionals.Her career also includes frontline service as an advocate and crisis responder for a Rape Crisis Center, supporting survivors with compassion and dignity, and service with a Policing program. She holds degrees in Occupational Education/Criminal Justice (BSOE) and Business Management/Human Services (MAM) and has advanced studies Organizational Leadership (Ph.D., ABD). She is a trainer with multiple crisis intervention and facilitation credentials.In addition to her academic and facilitation work, Wanda has extensive industry experience in business management, healthcare and mental health services, and leadership development. She has delivered keynote presentations at national conferences, led international teaching collaborations, and received multiple awards for excellence in teaching and service, including the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.Her book, Transformative Paths: A Journey to Nonviolent Living, draws on her years of teaching, facilitation, and applied experience to provide a structured, compassionate, and accountable path toward nonviolent behavior, healthier relationships, and personal growth.

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In the Media

Wanda J. Carroll's work has been featured in television, radio and print exploring transformation and community impact.

• Ovation Salon Donates Workbooks to PACT Program (January 27, 2026 - BHSN Facebook)
• Be Cool Heating & Air Conditioning Donates Workbooks to PACT Program (November 24, 2025 - BHSN Facebook)
• Grant to help NY program that works to change offender habits (October 13, 2025 - WCAX)
• Domestic Violence program gets big boost (October 7, 2025 - WVNY/WFFF)
• Clinton Co. Public Defender's Off. awards $10K to PACT program (October 7, 2025 - Sun Community News

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Clinton Co. Public Defender's Off. awards $10K to PACT program

PLATTSBURGH | The Clinton County Public Defender’s Office has awarded funding to Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN) in support of its PACT (Personal Accountability Changing Tomorrows) program. The PACT program is a critical intervention initiative designed for perpetrators of domestic violence, with a focus on changing harmful behaviors, reducing recidivism, and ultimately increasing the safety of victims and families throughout Clinton County.This funding, in the amount of $10,000, will help offset costs associated with program matriculation, including intake, orientation and class program fees for individuals mandated to participate in the program.“It was important to support a program that works proactively instead of reactively and that provides services in an attempt to re-educate offenders with the hope of reducing or eliminating further domestic violence-related crimes, said Jamie Martineau of the Clinton County Public Defender’s Office. “This funding helps remove financial barriers to participation and ensures that accountability-based treatment is accessible to those who need it.”Operated by BHSN, the PACT program combines group-based education, peer support, and individual accountability to confront and alter abusive behavior patterns. The program works closely with the criminal justice system to ensure compliance and monitor progress, while maintaining a survivor-centered philosophy.“This partnership with the Public Defender’s Office is essential,” said Julie Canepa, Director of PACT at BHSN. “By eliminating cost-related obstacles, we can serve more individuals and strengthen our community’s collective efforts to end the cycle of violence.”The funding is expected to assist dozens of program participants over the next year and reflects a growing recognition of the importance of offender intervention alongside survivor services in the county’s coordinated response to domestic violence.

Originally published by Sun Community News October 7, 2025

Grant to help NY program that works to change offender habits

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) - A program that offers mental health and support services in New York’s North Country recently won a grant to help more people.Behavioral Health Services North offers programming to change offenders’ habits, with the goal of reducing recidivism.It’s aimed at increasing public safety for families in the region.The group recently got a $10,000 grant from the Clinton County Public Defender’s Office. The money will help about 10 people who couldn’t afford to take part in the program otherwise.“It frees up community resources-- courts, shelters, law enforcement-- because it helps keep these individuals, these participants accountable, which can prevent repeat incidents,” said Wanda Carroll of Behavioral Health Services North.Around 34 people from Clinton County alone participated in the eight-month course last year.Copyright 2025 WCAX. All rights reserved.

Originally published by WCAX-TV October 13, 2025

Domestic Violence program gets big boost

PLATTSBURGH, NY (WVNY/WFFF) — Strengthening families, making our community safer and reducing crime recidivism are just some of the benefits of one North Country program getting a big boost.PACT stands for Personal Accountability Changing Tomorrows. It is a program geared toward domestic violence perpetrators, and it has a huge success rate. Julie Canepa heads up the program for Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN). She says the program has seen a 100 percent success rate of people not re-entering the criminal justice system after completing the program.Through education and support, the 36-week program focuses on changing one’s thinking to ultimately promote a commitment to non-abusive behavior and personal accountability.“Our three main skills we teach is how to manage your emotions, how to control your impulses and having empathy for another human being,” said Wanda Carroll, Lead Facilitator of PACT.Caroll said the program offers tons of life-changing information, based on those three main skills.According to Caroll, most participants are referred by and often mandated by the legal system or social services, and in many cases becomes a last resort alternative to incarceration.“For most of the participants, this is their last opportunity before becoming incarcerated or serving time. This is sometimes a part of a conditional discharge, or it can be part of their check and balance with parole or probation, to receive this education on how to become a non-violent person,” said Caroll.The participants of the program are responsible for the associated costs. Those costs are often out of reach for many participants.“Often, we get referrals for the program either by probation, or through DSS, or through family court and often it can be very challenging for some of the participants or their family to pay for the class,” said Julie Canepa, Director of PACT at BHSNRecently, the Clinton County Public Defender’s Office stepped in with a $10,000 grant to help participants pay for the program.“So, it’s an opportunity to still have them work on themselves, fulfill the requirements of whatever the court assigned them, said Caroll. “We definitely don’t want income to be a barrier to that.’“We just don’t want finances to be a barrier for them to have the benefits of the program,” said Canepa.The program is also offered to anybody in the community looking to change potentially abusive behavior.

Originally published by MyChamplainValley.com (WVNY/WFFF), 2025