Skip to main content

Todd Olmstead, PhD, MS

Associate Professor

Department of Public & Ecosystem Health

Public & Ecosystem Health Cornell Public Health

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Ithaca, NY 14853

Email: to253@cornell.edu

Profile

Research/Clinical Interests

  • Health economics
  • Cost-benefit analysis
  • Cost-effectiveness analysis
  • Cost-utility analysis

Education

  • Ph.D., Public Policy, Harvard University, 2000
  • M.S., Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1994
  • M.S., Industrial Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1989
  • B.S., Industrial Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1987

Biography/Professional Experience

  • 2024 – present: Associate Professor, Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, Cornell University
  • 2013-2024: Associate Professor of Public Affairs (with tenure), Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin
  • 2012-2013: Associate Professor of Public Policy (with tenure), School of Public Policy, George Mason University
  • 2009-2012: Assistant Professor of Public Policy, School of Public Policy, George Mason University
  • 2007-2009: Assistant Professor (Research), University of Connecticut Health Center
  • 2002-2006: Associate Research Scientist, School of Public Health, Yale University
  • 2002-2003: Research Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
  • 2000-2002: Associate Consultant, McKinsey & Company Inc.
  • 1987-1991: Operations Research Analyst, Union Carbide Industrial Gases Inc.

Awards and Honors

  • LBJ School Excellence in Teaching Award, UT-Austin, 2023
  • Best Taught Class, LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT-Austin, 2020
  • Most Patient Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT-Austin, 2019
  • Most Engaging Teaching Style, LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT-Austin, 2018
  • Best Quantitative Teaching Skills for Non-Quantitative Students, LBJ School, UT-Austin, 2018
  • School of Public Policy Teaching Award, George Mason University, 2011
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Graduate Research Fellowship, Federal Highway Administration, 1997-2000
  • New England University Transportation Center Fellowship, Harvard University, 1996
  • Predoctoral Fellowship, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1995
  • Graduate Fellowship, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1991
  • Presidential Fellowship, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1987-1988
  • Tau Beta Pi, National Engineering Honor Society, 1987
  • Omega Rho, National Honorary Operations Research Society, 1987

Professional/Academic Affiliations

American Society of Health Economists

Publications

Selected Publications

Journal Articles
  1. Olmstead, TA, Spencer, J, Kluz, N, Zhan, FB, Shokar, NK, and MP Pignone, “Costs and Projected Impact of a Federally Qualified Health Center-Based Mailed Colorectal Cancer Screening Program in Texas”, Preventing Chronic Disease, forthcoming.
  2. Jayakumar, P, Mills, Z, Triana, B, Moxham, J, Olmstead, TA, Wallace, S, Bozic, K, and K Koenig, “A Model for Evaluating Total Costs of Care and Cost Savings of Specialty Condition-based Care for Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis in an Integrated Practice Unit”, Value in Health, 26, 1363-1371, 2023.
  3. Zhan, FB, Liu, Y, Yang, M, Kluz, N, Olmstead, TA, Spencer, J, Shokar, NK, Cruz, RL, and MP Pignone, “Using GIS to Identify Priority Sites for Colorectal Cancer Screening Programs in Texas Health Centers”, Preventing Chronic Disease, 20, e10, 2023.
  4. Yin, Z, Liang, Y, Howard, JT, Errisuriz, V, Estrada, VM, Martinez, C, Li, S, Ullevig, S, Sosa, E, Olmstead, TA, Small, S, Ward, DS, and D Parra-Medina, “¡Míranos! a Comprehensive Preschool Obesity Prevention Program in Low-Income Latino Children: One-year Results of a Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial”, Public Health Nutrition, 26, 476-487, 2023.
  5. Olmstead, TA, Pacula, RL, Alessi, SM, and J Scott, “Most Recent, Modal, or Median Heroin Purchase: Does it Matter When Estimating Market Size?”, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 241, 2022.
  6. Olmstead, TA, Rathouz, PJ, Casey, KA, Abzug, TA, and SM Strakowski, “Economic Evaluation of a Crisis Residential Program in Austin, Texas”, Psychiatric Services, 73, 346-348, 2022.
  7. Pignone, M, Lanier, B, Kluz, N, Valencia, V, Chang, P, and TA Olmstead, “Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Mailed FIT in a Safety Net Clinic Population”, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 36, 3441-3447, 2021.
  8. Olmstead, TA, Martino, S, Ondersma, SJ, Gilstad-Hayden, K, Forray, A, and KA Yonkers, “The Short-Term Impact on Economic Outcomes of SBIRT Interventions Implemented in Reproductive Health Care Settings”, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 120, 2021.  
  9. Olmstead, TA, Yonkers, KA, Forray, A, Zimbrean, P, Gilstad-Hayden, K, and S Martino, “Cost and Cost-Effectiveness of Three Strategies for Implementing Motivational Interviewing for Substance Misuse on Medical Inpatient Units”, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 214, 2020.
  10. Yonkers, KA, Dailey, JI, Gilstad-Hayden, K, Ondersma, SJ, Forray, A, Olmstead, TA, and S Martino, “Abstinence Outcomes among Women in Reproductive Health Centers Administered Clinician or Electronic Brief Interventions”, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 113, 2020.
  11. Olmstead, TA, Yonkers, KA, Ondersma, SJ, Forray, A, Gilstad-Hayden, K, and S Martino, “Cost-Effectiveness of Electronic and Clinician-Delivered Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Women in Reproductive Health Centers”, Addiction, 114, 1659-1669, 2019.
  12. Martino, S, Zimbrean, P, Forray, A, Kaufman J, Desan, P, Olmstead, TA, Gilstad-Hayden, K, Gueorguieva, R, and K Yonkers, “Implementing Motivational Interviewing for Substance Misuse on Medical Inpatient Units: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 34, 2520-2529, 2019.
  13. Olmstead, TA, Graff, FS, Ames-Sikora, AA, McCrady, BS, Gaba, A, and EE Epstein, “Cost-Effectiveness of Individual versus Group Female-Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder”, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 100, 1-7, 2019.
  14. Yin, Z, Ullevig, S, Sosa, S, Liang, Y, Olmstead, TA, Howard, JT, Errisuriz, V, Estrada, VM, Martinez, C, He, M, Small, S, Schoenmakers, C, and D Parra-Medina, “Study Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Test "¡Míranos! Look at Us, We Are Healthy!" - an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Program”, BMC Pediatrics, 19(1), 190, 2019.
  15. Forray, A, Martino, S, Gilstad-Hayden, K, Kershaw, T, Ondersma, SJ, Olmstead, TA, and KA Yonkers, “Assessment of an Electronic and Clinician-Delivered Brief Intervention on Cigarette, Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use Among Women in a Reproductive Healthcare Clinic”, Addictive Behaviors, 96, 156-163, 2019.
  16. Martino, S, Ondersma, SJ, Forray, A, Olmstead, TA, Howell, H, Gilstad-Hayden, K, Kershaw, T, and KA Yonkers, “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Screening and Brief Interventions for Substance Misuse in Reproductive Health”, The American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 218:322.e1-12, 2018.
  17. Rash, C, Ginley, M, Olmstead, TA, and N Petry, “Contingency Management Treatment in Cocaine Using Methadone Maintained Patients With and Without Legal Problems”, Drug and Alcohol Dependence,180, 208-214, 2017.
  18. Petry, N, Alessi, S, Olmstead, TA, Rash, C, and K Zajac, “Contingency Management Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: How Far Has It Come, and Where Does It Need To Go?”, Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 31:8, 897-906, 2017.
  19. Martino, S, Paris, M, Anez, L, Nich, C, Canning-Ball, M, Hunkele, K, Olmstead, TA, and KM Carroll, “The Effectiveness and Cost of Clinical Supervision for Motivational Interviewing: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 68, 11-23, 2016.
  20. Olmstead, TA, Alessi, SM, Kline, B, Pacula, RL, and N Petry, “The Price Elasticity of Demand for Heroin: Matched Longitudinal and Experimental Evidence,” Journal of Health Economics, 41, 59-71, 2015.
    Martino, S, Zimbrean, P, Forray, A, Kaufman J, Desan, P, Olmstead, TA, Gueorguieva, R, Howell, H, McCaherty, A, and K Yonkers, “See One, Do One, Order One: A Study Protocol for Testing Three Strategies for Implementing Motivational Interviewing on Medical Inpatient Units,” Implementation Science, 10:138, 2015.
  21. Olmstead, TA, Cohen, JP, and N Petry, “Healthcare Service Utilization in Substance Abusers Receiving Contingency Management and Standard Care Treatments,” Addiction, 107, 1462-1470, 2012.
    Olmstead, TA, Abraham, AJ, Martino, S, and P Roman, “Counselor Training in Several Evidence-Based Psychosocial Addiction Treatments in Private US Substance Abuse Treatment Centers,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 120, 149-154, 2012.
  22. Olmstead, TA, Carroll, K, Canning-Ball, M, and S Martino, “Cost and Cost-effectiveness of Three Strategies for Training Clinicians in Motivational Interviewing,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 116, 195-202, 2011.
    Olmstead, TA, Ostrow, C, and K Carroll, “Cost Effectiveness of Computer-Assisted Training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy as an Adjunct to Standard Care for Addiction,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 110, 200-207, 2010.
  23. Olmstead, TA, and N Petry, “The Cost Effectiveness of Prize-based and Voucher-based Contingency Management in a Population of Cocaine- or Opioid-dependent Outpatients,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 102, 108-115, 2009.
  24. Rash, CJ, Olmstead, TA, and N Petry, “Income Does Not Affect Response to Contingency Management Treatments Among Community Substance Abuse Treatment-seekers,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 104, 249-253, 2009.
  25. Olmstead, TA, Sindelar, JL, Easton, CJ, and K Carroll, “The Cost-Effectiveness of Four Treatments for Marijuana Dependence,” Addiction, 102:9, 1443-1453, 2007.
  26. Olmstead, TA, Sindelar, JL, and N Petry, “Clinic Variation in the Cost-Effectiveness of Contingency Management,” American Journal on Addictions, 16:6, 457-460, 2007.
  27. Sindelar, JL, Olmstead, TA, and J Peirce, “Cost-Effectiveness of Prize-Based Contingency Management in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs,” Addiction, 102:9, 1463-1471, 2007.
  28. Olmstead, TA, Sindelar, JL, and N Petry, “Cost-Effectiveness of Prize-Based Incentives for Stimulant Abusers in Outpatient Psychosocial Treatment Programs,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 87:2/3, 175-182, 2007.
  29. Olmstead, TA, Roman, PM, Johnson, JA and Sindelar, JL, “Why are Recovering Substance Abuse Counselors Paid Less?” Substance Abuse, 28:1, 31-44, 2007.
  30. Olmstead, TA and JL Sindelar, “Does the Impact of Managed Care on Substance Abuse Treatment Services Vary By Provider Profit Status?” Health Services Research, 40:6, 1862-1882, 2005.
  31. Sindelar, JL and TA Olmstead, “Managed Care’s Dual Impact on Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment: Methadone Maintenance vs. Drug Free,” Journal of Drug Issues, 35:3, 501-522, 2005.
  32. Olmstead, TA and JL Sindelar, “To What Extent Are Key Services Offered in Treatment Programs for Special Populations?” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 27:1, 9-15, 2004.
  33. Olmstead, TA, White, W and JL Sindelar, “The Impact of Managed Care on Substance Abuse Treatment Services,” Health Services Research, 39:2, 319-344, 2004.
  34. Coglianese, C, Nash, J and TA Olmstead, “Performance-Based Regulation: Prospects and Limitations in Health, Safety, and Environmental Protection,” Administrative Law Review, 55:4, 2003
  35. Olmstead, TA, “Freeway Management Systems and Motor Vehicle Crashes: A Case Study of Phoenix, Arizona,” Accident Analysis & Prevention, 33, 433-447, 2001.
  36. Olmstead, TA, “A Pitfall to Avoid When Estimating Incident-Induced Delay Using Deterministic Queuing Models,” Transportation Research Record 1683, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC,  38-46, 1999.
  37. Olmstead, TA and RJ Zeckhauser, “The Menu-Setting Problem and Subsidized Prices: Drug Formulary Illustration,” Journal of Health Economics, 18, 523-550, 1999.
  38. Hartmann, ME, and TA Olmstead, “Solving Sequential Knapsack Problems,” Operations Research Letters, 13, 225-232, 1993.
Book Chapters
  1. Olmstead, TA, Casey KA, Weden D, Stuckey G, and D Evans, “Funding Mental Health Care in the US: A Story of Unhealthy Complexity,” in S Harris, S Strakowski (eds.), Redesigning the US Mental Health Care System, Oxford University Press, NY, NY, 2024.
  2. Sindelar, JL and TA Olmstead, “Illicit Drug Use and Drug-Related Crime,” in A. Jones (ed.), Elgar Companion to Health Economics, 2nd ed., Edward Elgar Publishing, Brookfield, US, 2012.
  3. Olmstead, TA, “The Safety Benefits of Freeway Management Systems and Motorist Assistance Patrols,” in E. Bekiaris and Y. J. Nakanishi (eds.), Economic Impacts of Intelligent Transportation Systems: Innovations and Case Studies, Research in Transportation Economics Series, Elsevier Science Publishers, The Netherlands, 2004.