About Us
SafeSpot, formerly known as the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline, has provided virtual spotting services since October 2022. The hotline is operated by a team of paid operators with lived and living experience with overdose and provides free, 24/7 service.
Our team recruits new operators in cohorts. If you are interested in learning more please click the “Join Us” tab above and fill out the form to have an informational interview with a member of our team.
SafeSpot was originally started as the Never Use Alone Massachusetts line in April 2020. We were staffed entirely by volunteer administrators and operators for the first 2.5 years.
In October 2022, the RIZE-MA Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center to build capacity of the hotline under Stephen Murray and Dr. Alex Walley’s leadership. This funding enabled us to be the first overdose hotline in the United States to offer fully paid training to our volunteer operators, and supported the salaries of our executive director and a program coordinator.
In August 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (MDPH BSAS), awarded the hotline with a $350,000 emergency contract to continue our work. We proudly hired our first full time frontline operator and a call center coordinator in October 2023. In April 2024, our entire volunteer team was onboarded as per-diem operators and now are paid for every call they take, as well as training and supervision. SafeSpot is an emerging leader in best practices for operating a harm reduction friendly workplace.
