David M. Merlo
David M. Merlo
MS, COTA/L, CPRP, ROH
Academia
Buffalo, NY | 40 Years in Practice
About
For over 40 years, I have built a successful and satisfying career as an educator, practitioner, consultant, and leader, grounded in the values and principles of occupational therapy. For over 18 years, I taught in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at SUNY Erie College in Buffalo, NY. I later served as the founding director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Bryant & Stratton College in Rochester, NY. The program received accreditation in December 2016, and I continued to lead it until my retirement from academia in 2022.
I also served as Managing Director of Restoration Society, Inc., a person-centered, occupation-based community mental health organization grounded in the Recovery Model. I retired from this role in 2022 but continue to be actively engaged in advancing mental health and rehabilitation services both nationally and globally.
Currently, I serve as Board Vice-President of the Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit that supports the first and only school in Haiti offering four-year degrees in occupational and physical therapy. I am also a board member of Caravan of Life–USA, where I serve on an international advisory panel of psychiatric rehabilitation experts supporting The Recovery House, a recovery-oriented mental health center in Karachi, Pakistan.
I continue to contribute through committee and board service locally and nationally, representing occupational therapy and psychiatric rehabilitation across disciplines, consumer networks, and professional organizations. My past leadership includes roles with the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, the New York State Occupational Therapy Association, and the Consortium of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Educators.
In addition to my occupational therapy education, I have pursued advanced studies in assistive technology, psychiatric rehabilitation, and adult education. I remain committed to sharing knowledge through speaking engagements, mentoring, conference presentations, and consulting.
My enduring mission is to expand the vision of enabling all people to improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, be integrated and contributing members of their communities, and reach their full potential (SAMHSA Working Definition of Recovery, 12/10/11). I continue to explore and promote this vision through ongoing roles as an educator, consultant, advocate, and leader.
You can learn more about my experience, projects, and accomplishments by viewing my vitae (link below). Please contact me HERE for more information.
Practice Areas/Specialties
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Services Provided
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