Colleen Heflin

• 2024 Fall
  • PAI 996 Master's Project Course
  • PAI 781 Social Welfare Policy

Colleen Heflin is a professor of public administration and international affairs. She is also a senior research associate in the Center for Policy Research and the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health.

As a research and policy scholar for nearly twenty years, Heflin is regarded as a national expert on food insecurity, nutrition and welfare policy, and the well-being of vulnerable populations. Heflin’s research has helped document the causes and consequences of food insecurity, identify the barriers and consequences of participation in nutrition programs, and understand the changing role of the public safety net in the lives of low-income Americans.

Heflin has published over 70 research articles and her work has appeared in leading journals such as the American Sociological Review, Social Problems, Health Affairs, Medical Care, and the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.  Her research is regularly funded by the National Institutes for Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Russell Sage Foundation. From 2012-2017, Heflin was supported by a five-year award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service as Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Scholar to explore how multiple program participation affects vulnerable families’ well-being.

Heflin has experience engaging with federal policymakers, recently providing expert testimony before Congress, providing technical assistance to states working to improve access to food and nutrition assistance programs, and working with county agencies to redesign their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application process.  

"Did physical presence waivers impact WIC participation during the COVID-19 pandemic?", Sponsored by Department of Agriculture.

"Exploring the Effects of SNAP Interview Waivers on Program Participation Outcomes:_Doctoral Dissertation Research", Sponsored by Department of Agriculture.

"Food Insecurity and SNAP Receipt After Military Separation", Sponsored by Department of Agriculture.

"Coordination SNAP and Nutrition Supports to Reduce Child Hunger Evaluation", Sponsored by Share our Strength.

"Building on work to advance understanding of instability in parental employment as a barrier to child care", Sponsored by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

"Center for Aging and Policy Studies", Sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH)/DHHS.

"Hunger SNAPs: Food Insecurity among Older Adults", Sponsored by Russell Sage Foundation.

"Changing Patterns of Eligibility and Take up in SNAP and the Roles of Out of Pocket Medical Expenses", Sponsored by Department of Agriculture.

"Understanding Food Related Hardships Among Older Americans", Sponsored by Department of Agriculture.

"Employment Instability as a Barrier to Child Care", Sponsored by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

"SNAP Uptake and School Readiness in Virginia", Sponsored by Department of Agriculture.

"Creating Evidence-Based Strategies to Address Administrative Churn in SNAP", Sponsored by Department of Agriculture.

"Does Child Support Increase Self-sufficiency?: Results from Virginia", Sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH)/DHHS.

• Journal Articles
  • Heflin, C. M., Fannin, W. C. and Lopoo, L. M., "Local Control, Discretion, and Administrative Burden: SNAP Interview Waivers and Caseloads During the COVID-19 Pandemic." American Review of Public Administration, 2023.
  • Ojinnaka, C. O., Arteaga, I., Hodges, L. and Heflin, C. M., "SNAP Participation and Medication Adherence Among Older Black Medicaid-Insured Individuals Living With Hypertension." American Journal of Hypertension, 2023.
  • Heflin, C. M., Hodges, L., Arteaga, I. and Ojinnaka, C. O., "Churn in the older adult SNAP population." Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 2023.
  • Rothbart, M. W., Heflin, C. M., "Inequality in literacy skills at kindergarten entry at the intersections of social programs and race." Children and Youth Services Review, 2023.
  • Zuo, D., Heflin, C. M., "Cognitive Impairment and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Take-Up Among the Eligible Older Americans." The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 2023.
  • Morrissey, T. W., Heflin, C. M. and Fannin, W. C., "Room to grow: examining participation and stability in child care subsidies using state administrative data." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2023.
  • Ojinnaka, C. O., Arteaga, I., Hodges, L. and Heflin, C. M., "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation and Medication Adherence Among Medicaid-Insured Older Adults Living with Hypertension." Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2023.
  • Altman, C. E., Dondero, M., Heflin, C. M. and Nusbaum, D., "Current and Future Food Insufficiency During Covid-19: Examining Disparities by Race/Ethnicity and Recent Work Loss." Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2022.
  • Heflin, C. M., Sun, X., "Food Insecurity and the Opioid Crisis." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2022.
  • Darolia, R., Heflin, C. M., "The Social and Community Consequences of the Opioid Epidemic." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2022.
  • Heflin, C. M., Darolia, R. and Kukla-Acevedo, S., "Exposure to Food Insecurity during Adolescence and Educational Attainment." Social Problems, 2022.
  • Heflin, C. M., Rothbart, M. W. and Mackenzie-Liu, M., "Below the Tip of the Iceberg: Examining Early Childhood Participation in SNAP and TANF from Birth to Age Six." Population Research and Policy Review, 2022.
  • Heflin, C. M., Hodges, L., Ojinnaka, C. O. and Arteaga, I., "Hypertension, Diabetes and Medication Adherence among the Older Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program Population." Journal of Applied Gerontology, 2022.
  • Heflin, C. M., Patnaik, H. A., "Material Hardship and the Living Arrangements of Older Americans." Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 2022.
  • Heflin, C. M., Morrissey, T. W., "Patterns of Earnings and Employment by Worker Sex, Race, and Ethnicity Using State Administrative Data: Results from a Sample of Workers Connected to Public Assistance Programs." Race and Social Problems, 2022.
  • Aratani, Y., Charney, A. and Heflin, C. M., "Using Linked Administrative Data to Improve Child Well-being in the Rental Assistance Demonstration." Cityscape, 2021.
  • Arteaga, I., Hodges, L. and Heflin, C. M., "Giving kids a boost: The positive relationship between frequency of SNAP participation and Infant's preventative health care utilization." SSM - Population Health, 2021.
  • Altman, C. E., Heflin, C. M., Jun, C. and Bachmeier, J. D., "The Material Hardship Among Immigrants in the United States: Variation by Citizenship, Legal Status, and Origin in the 1996–2008 SIPP." Population Research and Policy Review, 2021.
  • Huang, Y., Heflin, C. M. and Validova, A., "Material hardship, perceived stress, and health in early adulthood." Annals of Epidemiology, 2021.
  • Lopoo, L. M., Heflin, C. M. and Boskovski, J., "Testing Behavioral Interventions Designed to Improve On-Time SNAP Recertification." Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, 2020.
  • Heflin, C. M., Lopoo, L. M. and Mackenzie-Liu, M., "When States Align Social Welfare Programs: Considering the Child Support Income Exclusion for SNAP." Social Science Quarterly, 2020.
  • Heflin, C. M., Arteaga, I., Ndashimye, J. F. and Rabbitt, M. P., "Childhood injuries and food stamp benefits: An examination of administrative data in one US state." BMC Pediatrics, 2020.
  • Altman, C. E., Heflin, C. M. and Patnaik, H. A., "Disability, food insecurity by nativity, citizenship, and duration." SSM - Population Health, 2020.
  • Heflin, C. M., Hodges, L. and Ojinnaka, C. O., "Administrative Churn in SNAP and Health Care Utilization Patterns." Medical Care, 2020.
  • Heflin, C. M., Ingram, S. J. and Ziliak, J. P., "The effect of the supplemental nutrition assistance program on mortality." Health Affairs, 2019.
  • Heflin, C. M., Kukla-Acevedo, S. and Darolia, R., "Adolescent food insecurity and risky behaviors and mental health during the transition to adulthood." Children and Youth Services Review, 2019.
  • Meckstroth, A., Moore, Q., Burwick, A., Heflin, C. M., Ponza, M. and McCay, J., "Experimental evidence of a work support strategy that is effective for at-risk families: The building Nebraska families program." Social Service Review, 2019.
  • Arteaga, I., Heflin, C. M. and Parsons, S., "Design Flaws: Consequences of the Coverage Gap in Food Programs on Children at Kindergarten Entry." Applied Economics Perspectives and Policy, 2019.
  • Heflin, C. M., Altman, C. E. and Rodriguez, L. L., "Food insecurity and disability in the United States." Disability and Health Journal, 2019.
  • Heflin, C. M., Price, A., "Food pantry assistance and the great recession." Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, 2019.
  • Heflin, C. M., Arteaga, I., Hodges, L., Ndashiyme, J. F. and Rabbitt, M. P., "SNAP benefits and childhood asthma." Social Science and Medicine, 2019.
• Book Chapters
  • Heflin, C. M., "U.S. Food and Nutrition Policy Across the Life Course." In Life Courses Implications of Public Policy. Wilmoth, J. M., London, A. S. (eds.) Routledge Press, 2021.
  • Heflin, C. M., Mueser, P., "Program Participation in the Show Me State: Missouri Responds to the Great Recession." In Helping Together: Unemployment Insurance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, and the Great Recession. Stevens, D., Wiseman, M. (eds.) Upjohn Press, 2019.
  • Heflin, C. M., Mueser, P., "UI and SNAP Receipt in the Sun: The Great Recession and Its Aftermath in Florida." In Helping Together: Unemployment Insurance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, and the Great Recession. Stevens, D., Wiseman, M. (eds.) Upjohn Press, 2019.
  • Heflin, C. M., Hodges, L. and London, A., "TAPped Out: A Study of the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP)." In The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities. Hicks, L., Weiss, E. L. and Coll, J. E. (eds.) ABC-Clio, 2017.
  • Heflin, C. M., "The Importance of Context to the Social Processes around Material Hardship." In Routledge Handbook of Poverty in the United States. Haymes, S. N., Vidal de Haymes, M. and Miller, R. J. (eds.) Routledge Press, 2015.
  • Heflin, C. M., "The importance of context to the social processes around material hardship." In The Routledge Handbook of Poverty in the United States. , 2014.
  • Heflin, C. M., "An Examination of Gender Differences in the Relationship between Reporting a Food Hardship and Physical Health." In Food Science and Security. Amsel, L., Hirsch, L. (eds.) Nova Publishers, 2009.
• Conference Proceeding
  • Corcoran, M. E., Heflin, C. M., "Race, Ethnic and Skill-Based Inequalities in Women’s Earnings." In Proceedings and Papers: Conference for the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. , 1999.
• Erratum, Journal
  • Heflin, C. M., Butler, S. J., "Erratum to Why Do Women Enter and Exit From Material Hardship? (Journal of Family Issues, (2012), 34, 5 (631-660), 10.1177/0192513X12442822)." Journal of Family Issues, 2013.
• Review, Journals
  • Noonan, M. C., Heflin, C. M., "Does welfare participation affect women's wages?." Social Science Quarterly, 2005.
  • Danziger, S., Heflin, C. M., Corcoran, M. E., Oltmans, E. and Wang, H. C., "Does It Pay to Move from Welfare to Work?." Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2002.
• White Papers
  • Heflin, C. M., Mueser, P. and Cronin, J., How Accurate is Online Information about SNAP?. Institute for Public Policy, University of Missouri, 2017.
  • Heflin, C. M., "The Great Recession and the Rise in Material Hardship." In Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Consortium, 2013-2018. Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation, Office of the Administration for Children & Families, 2017.
  • Heflin, C. M., Jensen, J. K. and Miller, K. K., Community Resilience: Understanding the Economic Impacts of Disruptions in Water Service. Institute for Public Policy, University of Missouri, 2013.
  • Vancil, A., Rikoon, S., Foulkes, M., Hermsen, J., Heflin, C. M. and Raedeke, N., Regional Profile of Missouri Food Pantry Clients and Households. Institute for Public Policy, University of Missouri. Policy Brief, 2013.
  • Dabson, B., Heflin, C. M. and Miller, K., Regional Resilence: Research and Policy Brief. RUPRI Rural Futures Lab, University of Missouri, 2012.
  • Heflin, C. M., Miller, K., Geography of Need: Identifying Human Service Needs in Rural America. RUPRI , 2011.
  • Rysavy, M., Heflin, C. M., Food Insecurity, Food Stamp Participation and Poverty: The Paradox of Missouri. Institute of Public Policy, University of Missouri, 2009.

Congressional Briefing, House Veteran Affairs Committee, "House Veteran Affairs Committee Briefing on Military and Veteran Food Security" (November 28, 2023)

Annual Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, APPAM, "Do TANF and SNAP Function as Parental Leave for Low-Income Women?" (November, 2023)

White House VA Food Security Summit, Veteran Affairs Administration, "Food Security Summit Research Panel" (September 12, 2023)

Ojinnaka, C., Arteaga, I., Hodges, L., Quick, L., Heflin, C. M., Academy Health 2022 Annual Research Meeting, Academy Health, "SNAP Participation and Medication Adherence Among Older Medicaid-Insured Individuals Living with Hypertension" (June 5, 2022)

Heflin, C. M., Hodges, L., Ojinnaka, C., Arteaga, I., Quick, L., Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Population Association of America, "Churn in the older adult SNAP Population" (April 7, 2022)

Rothbart, M., Heflin, C. M., Morrissey, T., Sun, X., Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Population Association of America, "Does Offering Public PreK Change Social Program Participation?" (April 7, 2022)

Heflin, C. M., Sun, X., Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Population Association of America, "Food Insecurity and the Opioid Crises" (April 7, 2022)

Heflin, C. M., Li, J., Zuo, D., Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Population Association of America, "Increasing Access to the SNAP for Older Adults Through the Standard Medical Deduction" (April 7, 2022)

Morrissey, T., Heflin, C. M., Fannin, W. C., Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Population Association of America, "Room to Grow: Examining Participation and Stability in the Child Care Subsidies Using State Administrative Data" (April 7, 2022)

Fannin, C., Heflin, C. M., Lopoo, L., Annual Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, "Local Control, Discretion, and Administrative Burden: SNAP Interview Waivers and Caseloads during the COVID-19 Pandemic" (March 28, 2022)

SNAP and Nutrition Support Monthly Cohort Meeting, Share Our Strength Advisory Committee, "How will you measure the success of your intervention?" (August 18, 2021)

Data and Evidence Community of Practice Learning Series on Data Visualization and Program Evaluation, American Public Health Service Association, "Building a Culture of Evidence: Opportunities and Challenges" (June 29, 2021)

Heflin, C. M., Li, J., Zuo, D., Understanding Food-Related Hardships Among Older Americans FNS Reporting Conference, "Changing patterns of eligibility and take up in SNAP and the role of out-of-pocket medical expenses" (May 28, 2021)

Congressional Testimony before the Rules Committee, United States House of Representatives, "Examining the Hunger Crisis Among Veterans and Military Families" (May 27, 2021)

Heflin, C. M., Patnaik, H., Population Association of America, Population Association of America, "Material Hardships and the Living Arrangements of Older Americans" (April 6, 2021)

TANF Workforce Development Workgroup, American Public Human Service Association, "Exploring Material Hardship and Administrative Burden" (February 27, 2021)

Rothbart, M., Heflin, C. M., Fall Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, "Achievement Gaps” from Day 1? Evidence on School Readiness by Economic Disadvantage and Race" (November 12, 2020)

Heflin, C. M., Zuo, D., Fall Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, "Cognitive Impairment and SNAP Participation among Eligible Older Americans" (November 12, 2020)

Lopoo, L., Heflin, C. M., Boskovski, J., Fall Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, "Testing Behavioral Interventions Designed to Improve On-Time SNAP Recertification" (November 11, 2020)

Heflin, C. M., Rothbart, M. W., Mackenzie-Liu, M., Fall Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, "Below the Tip of the Iceberg: Examining Early Childhood Participation in SNAP and TANF from Birth to Age Six" (November 10, 2020)

Future Services Institute’s Redesign for Whole Families Summit, University of Minnesota, "How Does the System Hurt or Help?: Exploring Material Hardship and Administrative Burden" (October 13, 2020)

2nd UK Conference on Food and Poverty: Evidence for Change, "Reflections on household food insecurity research from a US Perspective" (June 23, 2020)

Bullinger, L. R., Heflin, C. M., Raissian, K. M., Fall Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, "SNAP and Child Maltreatment" (November 7, 2019 - November 9, 2019)

Heflin, C. M., Lopoo, L., Mackenzie-Liu, M., Fall Research Conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, "When States Coordinate between Social Welfare Programs: Considering the Child Support Income Exclusion" (November 7, 2019 - November 9, 2019)

Heflin, C. M., Lopoo, L., Mackenzie-Liu, M., Increasing Family Income through Child Support: Lessons from Recent Research, Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, US. Dept. of Health and Human Services, "When States Coordinate between Social Welfare Programs: Considering the Child Support Income Exclusion" (September 18, 2019)

American Sociological Association, "Food and Nutrition Policy across the Life Course" (August 13, 2019)