Public health (health service organization and epidemiology), and evaluation of services, particularly service integration and quality assessment, as well as change implementation, needs assessment, primary care services, service utilization, health systems analysis, performance indicators, and patient outcomes. Methods: quantitative (surveys, administrative databases, outcome studies), qualitative (case study designs, program evaluation), and mixed-method investigations, all involving close partnerships with clinicians and decision-makers. Main target groups: patients with both serious and common mental disorders, substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders; vulnerable populations such as the homeless; and health care practitioners (general practitioners, psychiatrists, multidisciplinary teams), managers and decision-makers. 

Summary of my research program and its impact, especially in the last five years: The overall objective of my research program is to contribute to knowledge on strategies for optimizing organization of the mental health system (including services for addiction and homelessness) in order to improve health system performance, and respond more effectively to patient needs. My original scholarly contributions have focused on three streams within this overall research program: First, I have conducted studies on healthcare organization for the purpose of assessing mental health care reforms related to primary care, community-based and emergency services, and collaborative care, as well as integrated service networks, and multidisciplinary team work. Second, I have spearheaded research projects in the areas of needs assessment and adequacy of care, including patient satisfaction studies, with particular focus on patient clinical profiles and related outcomes (e.g. recovery, quality of life). Third, I have conducted epidemiological studies on mental disorders using surveys and administrative databases, especially on patterns of healthcare utilization among individuals with mental health, addiction and co-occurring disorders. Over the years, I have received multiple grants (including salary awards as recently as July 2014) to support my research program. Results of this work have been published in numerous high-quality journals in my fields of investigation. I have also endeavored to maximize the impact and value of my work by disseminating it through other media, including provincial and national reviews, reports and books. Overall, my scholarly output reflects a balance between the need to maintain high academic standards at the international level, but also to insure that my research has an especially strong empirical impact within the Quebec community, in order to enhance the social relevance of my work.

Key words of research: Public health, evaluation of services, best practices implementation, needs assessment, service utilization, healthcare system analysis, performance indicators, and patient outcomes

Depuis plus de 15 ans, je travaille sur des projets de recherche dans le champ de la petite enfance qui concernent autant les enfants que leurs parents, les intervenants, les organisations qui offrent les services et l’action intersectorielle. Parmi mes travaux récents, il y a une recherche-action participative avec des parents et des intervenants du centre Rond-Point, un centre périnatal et familial en toxicomanie dans le quartier Centre-Sud à Montréal. J’ai aussi été chercheure principale du volet montréalais de l’Enquête québécoise sur le parcours préscolaire des enfants de maternelle (EQPPEM 2017) qui visait notamment à décrire la diversité des parcours éducatifs préscolaires des enfants montréalais selon leur statut socioéconomique et, montrer les bénéfices de la fréquentation de certains types de services éducatifs sur le développement de l’enfant. J’ai également réalisé une évaluation d’implantation de la collaboration entre les organismes communautaires ayant une mission d’accueil et d’intégration des nouveaux arrivants, et les CLSC, dans le contexte des ateliers Espace parents sur le rôle parental en contexte d’immigration. Je mène présentement une étude exploratoire sur les barrières financières, structurelles et humaines qui peuvent freiner les communautés à présenter des projets pour développer des centres de la petite enfance (CPE) dans les territoires de CLSC les plus défavorisés de Montréal.