I received my PhD in Sociology from the University of Toronto in 2007, and an MA in Criminology from the University of Ottawa in 1998. Before joining the Community Psychology program at Wilfrid Laurier University, I held Scientist positions at the Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre and the Centre for Research on Inner City Health at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. I am currently an Assistant Professor (status-only) in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

I conduct solutions-focused research with the goal of generating evidence with which to improve health and increase accessibility of community-based healthcare and social services for vulnerable populations. I have conducted evaluations of complex health interventions such as Housing First programs for individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness (At Home/Chez Soi randomized controlled trial – Toronto site), mental health services including mobile crisis intervention teams, and tobacco control programming.

Some of my current projects include:

• Research on social contextual effects (social capital and neighbourhood effects) on substance use and mental health problems among adults and youth.
• Evaluations and knowledge syntheses of integrated health and social care programs for individuals with complex health problems.
• Studies on how Canadians understand and explain health inequalities and their opinions on health equity solutions.

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research Health Services/Population Health HIV/AIDS Research Fellowship (2010) (declined).
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research Strategic Post-Doctoral Training Fellowship in the Transdisciplinary Approach to the Health of Marginalized Populations (2007-2009).

• Kirst, M.J., Aery, A., Matheson, F. and Stergiopoulos, V. (accepted). Provider and consumer perceptions of trauma-informed practices and services for substance use and mental health problems. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.
• Kirst, M.J., Elmi, A., Ray-Daniels, M., & Foster, J. (in press). Exploring perceptions of client experience and engagement with home and community care services: A qualitative study. Healthcare Management Forum.
• Smylie,J., Kirst, M.J., McShane, K., Firestone, M., Wolfe, S. and O’Campo, P. (2016). Understanding the role of aboriginal community participation in aboriginal prenatal and infant toddler health promotion programs in Canada: A realist review. Social Science & Medicine, 150, 128-143.
• Kirst, M.J., Kolar, K., Chaiton, M, Schwartz, R., et al. (2015). Commentary: A common public health-oriented policy framework for cannabis, alcohol, & tobacco in Canada? Canadian Journal of Public Health,106(8), e474-e476.
• Kirst, M.J., Palma Lazgare, L., Zhang, Y.J. and O’Campo, P (2015). The effects of social capital and neighborhood characteristics on intimate partner violence: A consideration of social resources and risks. American Journal of Community Psychology, 55(3), 314-325.
• Kirst, M.J., Francombe Pridham, K, Narrandes, R., Matheson, F., Niedra, K, Young, L. and Stergiopoulos, V. (2015). Examining implementation of a mental health and police mobile crisis intervention team program. Journal of Mental Health, 24(6), 369-374.
• Nelson, G., Patterson, M., Kirst, M.J., Macnaughton, E., Isaak, C. et al. (2015). Life courses of homeless persons with mental illness: A longitudinal comparison of Housing First and Treatment as Usual. Psychiatric Services, 66(6), 592-597.
• Kirst, M.J., Zerger, S., Misir, V., Hwang, S. and Stergiopoulos, V. (2014). The impact of a Housing First randomized controlled trial on substance use problems among homeless individuals with mental illness. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 146, 24-29
• Kirst, M.J., Zerger, S.,Wise Harris, D., Plenert, E., and Stergiopoulos, V. (2014). The promise of recovery: Narratives of hope among homeless individuals with mental illness participating in a Housing First randomized controlled trial in Toronto, Canada. BMJ Open, 4:e004379.
• Lofters, A., Slater, M., Kirst, M.J., Shankardass, K. and Quiñonez, C. (2014). How do people attribute income-related inequalities in health? A cross-sectional study in Ontario, Canada. PLOS One, 9(1), e85286.