If someone is experiencing a drug overdose or is trying to help someone who they fear is overdosing on drugs, the last thing they need is someone being condescending or judgmental by way of “helping.”

Which is why experts believe this hotline is not only saving lives, but is enabling people to go forward a healthier than where they started.

The group is called Never Use Alone, and it was recently profiled by Slate when they followed one of the hotline volunteers.

The idea behind the hotline is that a person who is using drugs alone and worries they could overdose and not be able to get help can call. The volunteer will stay on the phone with them, help identify a potential overdose, and contact help if necessary.

So far, they estimate they have headed off 100 overdose fatalities.

The profile followed volunteer Jessica Blanchard, an ex-nurse from Georgia who got involved because of her daughter, an addict.

After her daughter almost died from an overdose, Blanchard realized that being there with her was more important than shaming her daughter for her addiction and having her die alone.

“I didn’t want my daughter to die. Every f*****g think I do is about her not dying. Then about her and her homie not dying. Now it’s about the entire town.”

Blanchard took to supplying her daughter with clean needles and acquiring Narcan, just in case, and keeping it on hand for her whole town.

One caller to Never Use Alone, Kimber King, told Slate that Blanchard saved her life the first time, calling emergency services when she relapsed after rehab.

The call center only employs about 20 people who handled 250-300 calls a week. Nationwide, the NIH estimates over 100,000 people died from a drug overdose in the United States.

Detractors say they’re enabling people to use drugs safely instead of shaming them and trying to use guilt to convince them to quit if they fear for their lives.

Still, Blanchard and her fellow volunteers feel like every little bit helps.

“Did I ever see myself doing this? No. This is enabling – it enables health.”

If you or a loved on needs help, you can contact them at 1-800-484-3731.

I hope that you, your children, your friends, etc never need to call, but for people who have been there for loved someone in trouble, it’s a comfort knowing people like Blanchard are there to answer the phone.

After all, no one should have to be scared, alone, and afraid they’re dying with nowhere to turn.