Jennifer
Ervin

Research Associate

Education

PhD, Communication (Minor: Family Studies), University of Arizona
Post Doctorate, Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh
MSc, Healthcare Research and Implementation Science, University of Michigan
MA, Communication, University of Arizona
BS, Communication, California State University 

Jennifer Ervin, PhD, MSc, is a Research Associate in West Virginia University’s Health Affairs Institute. She has primarily supported the System of Care Evaluation and the Children’s Mental Health Evaluation in this role thus far. Along with her passion for helping West Virginians, she brings interdisciplinary quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods expertise at the confluence of health policy, health behaviors, and evidence-based decision-making.

Dr. Ervin excels at translational science and science communication. Her enthusiasm for data translation led her to co-find the Health Affairs Writing Group, which is dedicated to publishing, peer mentorship, and collaboration. She has applied these skills in several health contexts, including the use of evidence-based practices in hospital-based care, children’s mental health, and home and community-based services. Dr. Ervin also has expertise in team science, social influence and behavior change, and decision making, particularly in organizational and health contexts. 

Prior to joining Health Affairs, Dr. Ervin studied the impact of organizational policies and procedures on providers’ attitudes toward and use of evidence-based practices in healthcare settings and resulting short- and long-term implications for patient outcomes. Her post-doctoral work on evidenced-based care and her fellowship work as a part of the National Clinician Scholars Program also solidified her interest in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and policies, behavioral health in hospital and home- and community-based settings, and public health surveillance.  

Dr. Ervin studies the interplay between policy and behavior change in complex care settings using primary data, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations, and secondary data including medical records and claims data.  

 

Published Works: