Speaker
Stephen Merz, FACHE
Stephen Merz is COO of Sheppard Pratt Solutions, a division of Sheppard Pratt, one of the largest, most well-regarded behavioral healthcare organizations in the nation. His career spans nearly 30 years, including roles as interim president/CEO and executive vice president, operations, at Diamond Healthcare, president/CEO of Maine Behavioral Healthcare, and vice president/executive director of behavioral health at Yale New Haven Hospital. Mr. Merz’s work focuses on integrating behavioral healthcare into the overall healthcare system, including establishing alternatives to acute care settings, developing novel approaches for chronic conditions such as depression and ensuring behavioral healthcare services are financially strong. Mr. Merz has served on national and regional boards, including the National Association of Behavioral Healthcare. He has served as chair of the Behavioral Healthcare Councils of the Maine and Connecticut Hospital Associations and as ACHE Regent for Connecticut. Mr. Merz holds a master’s degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. He is board certified in healthcare management as an ACHE Fellow.