David M. Merlo, MS, COTA/L, CPRP, ROH

Phone: 716 380-0630
Email: davidmmerlo@gmail.com  

• Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) NBCOT #AA545673
• New York State OTA License #001461-1
• Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) PRA #138628
• American Occupational Therapy Association Roster of Honors (ROH)  

Title: Managing Director
Institution: Restoration Society, Inc 
Starting Date: June 2022

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Vision

I am an innovative servant-leader, driven by the hope of enabling all people the opportunity to improve their health and wellness, to live self-directed lives, to be integrated and contributing members of their communities, and to reach their full potential (SAMHSA Working Definition of Recovery, 12/10/11). Through my experience, skills, and passions, I strive to realize that vision through a variety of roles including educator, administrator, consultant, and advocate. I lead by example, by relationship, and by partnership and collaboration.

Education

• Masters of Science in Adult Education.  Emphasis on education and support services for adults with disabilities. Education Foundations Department, Buffalo State College, Buffalo, NY. 2006.
• Advanced Graduate Certificate.  Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology. Occupational Therapy Department, University at Buffalo, NY. 2003.
• BA Health and Human Services. University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. Social Sciences Interdisciplinary, Major in community mental health. 1994.
  
• Certificate Psychiatric Rehabilitation. Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, off campus. 1989.
• AAS Occupational Therapy. Erie Community College, Buffalo, NY. 1984.
• AAS Horticulture- Landscape Design. Alfred State College, Alfred, NY. 1979.

David Merlo is an approachable, knowledgeable, and extremely dedicated member of the Occupational Therapy profession. He values the importance of keeping teaching techniques, treatment approaches, and the use of technology current, and he adapts his lessons as needed. David is the type of employee who goes the extra mile for not only his students, but for colleagues as well. He takes the initiative to develop programs that assist his students to successfully integrate into the clinical field of OT within our community. He is professional, and is able to incorporate humor into the workplace. David Merlo is always a pleasure to work with, and whenever his name is mentioned in our field, it is with the utmost respect.

Current Role

Managing Director, Restoration Society, Inc., Buffalo, NY
Restoration Society, Inc. (RSI)  is a peer operated community mental health agency offering recovery-based mental health services in Western New York. Responsibilities include:

Quality Assurance:

• Ensuring a properly oriented and trained workforce throughout the organization.
• Ensuring directors, managers and middle managers are well oriented, trained and supported in order to comply with policies, achieve outcomes and facilitate agency values and philosophy with all employees as paramount importance in the delivery of services all services.
• Developing and implementing methods to solicit customer and employee feedback and satisfaction.   Evaluating the same and working with customer and staff teams to implement corrective methods.
• Developing and implementing methods to evaluate agency and employee compliance of various agency procedures and/or policies to ensure the agency maintains the highest level of integrity and quality in service delivery and to minimize risk and liability across the company. in order understanding and follow-through.

Strategic Planning:

• Assist with the development and oversight of strategic planning (Board of Directors and Agency).  
• Strategic planning for what we are, who we serve, what we do, why we do it.
• Assist in planning and inspiring set priorities which will determine the focus of energy and resources.
• Strengthen operations, ensure employees and other stakeholders are working toward a common goal, establish agreement around intended outcomes, assess and adjust the direction in response to a changing environment.

Special Projects:

• Organize, lead and help execute company projects.
• Identify and develop innovative opportunities and new collaborations.  
• Keeps the pulse on upcoming trends in the field and ensures the agency is well positioned relative

Committees and Projects

• Board Director - Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation,  provides the first and only school in Haiti with four-year degree programs in both Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. 3/2021 - present.
• Planning Committee Member - Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Workforce Development. 2/2019 – present.
• Board Director – American Occupational Therapy Association. (7/2019 – 6/2022).
• Academic Liaison – Helping Hands and Beyond, an organization that operates health and rehabilitation clinics in Haiti. 1/2016 – present. 
• Member, OTA Honor Society Committee - OT Leaders and Legacies Society. (4/18 – present).
• OTA Representative - AOTA Representative Assembly. (2016 - 6/2019)     
• Advisory Council Member - Academy of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Recovery.
• Committee Member - Education and Training Committee, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.
• IT Coordinator/Developer - Western New York OT Fieldwork Network.
• Board Director - Restoration Society, Inc., a community mental health agency.
• IT and Social Media Coordinator - New York State Occupational Therapy Association.
• Website Content Manager - Consortium of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Educators.

Transition-age youth summer project: building career portfolios. Rochester Regional Center for Independent Living. Learn more at: http://www.rcil.org

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