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In the News: Colleen Heflin

How is Food Insecurity Measured in the US and What Share of Older Adults are Food Insecure?

Colleen M. Heflin and Madonna Harrington Meyer
Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes the limitations of food insecurity measurements, noting that existing measures do not account for barriers that are common among older adults, such as mobility, physical distance, and transportation barriers.
September 9, 2025

See related: United States

Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adult Food Insecurity

Colleen Heflin, Madonna Harrington Meyer

Written by Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs, and University Professor Madonna Harrington Meyer, the book examines the issue of food insecurity among older adults in the United States. 

September 4, 2025

Maxwell Partners With VA Medical Center, Instacart to Bring Healthy Food to Local Veterans

With a grant-funded study, Colleen Heflin and the Maxwell X Lab are hoping to determine whether greater access to nutritious food leads to health improvements over time.

September 4, 2025

Trends in Breast Cancer Screening between Medicare Beneficiaries with and without Food Insecurity

Yeunkyung Kim, Jihye Kim, Sungchul Park, Colleen Heflin, Hyunjee Kim, Yue Li

Published in AJPM Focus, the study was co-authored by Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.

August 13, 2025

Colleen Heflin - Studying Hunger in America

Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs, is a leading authority on food insecurity, which, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), negatively impacts more than 47 million Americans.

June 2, 2025

Heflin Speaks to Reuters About Federal Pass-Through Grants

Today, pass-through funding allows federal agencies to tap into local expertise and knowledge as well as help the federal government keep its own staffing levels down, says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.

April 3, 2025

Heflin Speaks With WTVR-TV About the Economic Impact of Richmond’s Water Crisis

Low income-households will need a month or more to recover financially and that will lead to more issues and needs, says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs. “I would suspect to see increased need for food from food banks. Most likely going to have more utilities going unpaid,” she says.

January 16, 2025

Heflin Weighs In on Whether or Not RFK Jr. Can ‘Make America Healthy Again’ in BBC Interview

“RFK simply doesn't have jurisdiction over most of the policy levers that he would need to make America healthy again,” says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.

January 6, 2025

Waiving Physical Presence Requirements During the COVID-19 Pandemic Increased WIC Caseloads

Colleen Heflin, William Clay Fannin, Leonard Lopoo, and Camille Barbin
This brief summarizes findings from a study that compared WIC caseload data collected across 738 counties in 10 U.S. states between January 2019 and May 2021 to determine how these waives affected WIC participation.
November 19, 2024

Does the Reference Period Matter When Evaluating the Effect of SNAP on Food Insecurity?

Colleen Heflin, James P. Ziliak

In this paper, Colleen Heflin and co-author examine if protective effects of SNAP against food insecurity are obtained whether using the 30-day or 12-month food insecurity scale. Results indicate comparable average treatment effects across both reference periods. Published in Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy.

November 15, 2024

Colleen Heflin Appointed to Committee on National Statistics

The committee is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and provides guidance to the federal government.

November 8, 2024

How Does the Reauthorization of the Farm Bill Impact SNAP?

Colleen Heflin and Camille Barbin
Negotiations on a new Farm Bill have included SNAP proposals to limit state discretion on work requirements during periods of low job availability, indefinitely freeze the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan, and lift the ban on prepared meals. This brief describes how these proposals could increase food insecurity and suggests way the new Farm Bill could better serve the nutritional needs of low-income households.
October 16, 2024

Heflin Quoted in Newsweek Article on the Farm Bill Reauthorization and Its Impact on SNAP Benefits

“If the appropriations bills are not passed by the end of December, January benefits will still go out because SNAP benefits are obligated in the prior month (December),” says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.

October 2, 2024

The Effects of Waiving WIC Physical Presence Requirements on Program Caseloads

W. Clay Fannin, Colleen Heflin, Leonard M. Lopoo

“The Effects of Waiving WIC Physical Presence Requirements on Program Caseloads,” co-authored by Maxwell professors Colleen Heflin and Leonard Lopoo, and Ph.D. student W. Clay Fannin, was published in Social Service Review.

September 11, 2024

Participating in Childcare Subsidy Programs Increases Employment and Annual Earnings for Parents

William Clay Fannin, Colleen Heflin, Taryn Morrissey, Siobhan O’Keefe
This brief describes associations between childcare subsidy program participation and household employment and earnings outcomes among low-income families in Virginia. 
July 31, 2024

Earnings and Employment Patterns Following Child-Care Subsidy Receipt

W. Clay Fannin, Colleen Heflin, Taryn Morrissey
“Earnings and Employment Patterns Following Child-Care Subsidy Receipt,” co-authored by Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs, and Ph.D. student W. Clay Fannin, was published in Social Service Review.
July 1, 2024

Adopting the Standard Medical Deduction Increased State SNAP Enrollment and Benefits

Yuwei Zhang, Jun Li, Dongmei Zuo, and Colleen M. Heflin
This brief summarizes findings from a study that examined the associations between state SMD adoption and SNAP participation and benefits from 2004 to 2019.
April 9, 2024

Maxwell School Ranks #1 for Public Affairs in 2024

Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is ranked #1 overall in a survey of its peers and is highly ranked in ten subspecialties, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Public Affairs Schools rankings.

April 9, 2024

See related: Awards & Honors, Centennial

Waiving SNAP Interviews during the COVID19 Pandemic Increased SNAP Caseloads

Colleen Heflin, William Clay Fannin, Leonard Lopoo, and Siobhan O’Keefe
This brief summarizes findings from a recent study that used data from SNAP offices across 10 states to examine the impact of SNAP interview waivers on SNAP caseloads from January 5th to April 30th of 2021. 
March 12, 2024

Heflin Quoted in US News Article on MPA and MPP Degrees

“Demand for our highly ranked M.P.A. program remains strong with increased student interest in certificates of advanced study,” says Colleen Heflin, associate dean, professor and chair of public administration and international affairs. “Particularly in the areas of data analytics for public policy, security studies, and conflict and collaboration.”

February 29, 2024
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