What substances does this tool screen for?

Heroin, methadone, buprenorphine, morphine, MS-Contin, OxyContin, oxycodone, and other opioid analgesics.

Is this tool appropriate to use with people with HIV?  

Yes, the RODS was originally developed to support rapid assessment of individuals experiencing incarceration with HIV to allow buprenorphine induction on the day of release, if necessary.  

Who administers and scores the tool? 

• A staff person or health care provider who has been trained to administer and score the RODS, reading questions as written and not providing any additional information until after completion.
• Can be administered as a stand-alone instrument or as part of a comprehensive interview.
• Scoring should be completed by a trained staff person or health care provider.

Has this tool been validated?

The RODS has shown good-to-strong sensitivity (97%) and specificity (76%) among clients with HIV. Researchers have suggested that it is an ideal first-line assessment tool for this reason, but validity tests were conducted specifically with individuals experiencing incarceration with a relatively small sample size.  

Please see reference list: 37