Privacy Policy
This policy is effective as of July 31, 2024.
This privacy policy applies to Fireside Project’s Psychedelic Support Line, Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program, and website.
We’ve tried to write this policy in a clear and easy-to-understand way. To do so, we’ve decided to present it as a series of questions and answers. If you have questions about it, we encourage you to email us at info@firesideproject.org.
We ask that you review this policy before using any of Fireside Project’s services. By using any of them, you are agreeing to this policy.
We’ll update this policy from time to time, and each update will become effective as soon as we post it here. (So, in other words, you’re reading the most up-to-date version of this policy.)
Part one: Psychedelic Support Line
1. What is the Psychedelic Support Line?
Fireside Project operates the Psychedelic Support Line, where volunteers provide non-clinical emotional support to callers during and after their psychedelic experiences.
We want to be very clear about some of the key limits on the scope of the support line:
We do not provide any pre-trip support or advice.
We do not provide medical care, medical assessments, psychotherapy, or any other type of professional service.
We are not a substitute for 911 or any other emergency service. If you believe you or someone with you may be experiencing a medical emergency or any other kind of emergency, please immediately call 911.
We are not a suicide hotline. If you have a plan, means, or intention to die by suicide, please immediately call 988 or 911. If you need non-emergency medical care or assistance, please contact a doctor or other medical professional.
You’ll see the term “personal information.” That means information that can be used to identify you, including, without limitation, your full name, email address, telephone number, home address, or payment information. It does not include information that has been de-identified such that it can no longer be used to identify you.
You’ll also see the term “caller.” That means someone who has called or texted the Psychedelic Support Line.
2. Can I text the Psychedelic Support Line?
Yes. If you text the support line, you agree to receive text/SMS messages that may be placed with an automated dialer. Message and data rates may apply.
3. Is the Psychedelic Support Line confidential?
Yes, except where disclosure is required by law or court order, or otherwise discussed in this policy. One such exception is if a caller’s life or the life of another person may be in immediate danger. In that case, if the caller has provided us with an address, we may call 911 or other emergency services. As another example, we’d comply with any court-ordered requirement to disclose your information.
4. Must callers disclose any information to the Psychedelic Support Line?
No. Our volunteers are trained not to affirmatively request personal information, and callers may reveal as much or as little information as they want.
6. Is Fireside Project liable for the actions taken by callers during or after their time on the Psychedelic Support Line?
No. You assume all risks for your use of the support line. Neither Fireside Project, nor any of our employees, volunteers, or agents shall have any liability for or in connection with (1) actions taken or not taken by you or a third party, during, after, or as a result of your use of the support line, or (2) the unavailability of the support line.
7. Does the Psychedelic Support Line provide advice on which illegal substances to take, whether to take illegal substances, or the dosage of any such substances?
No. Fireside Project does not encourage or condone any illegal activities, including but not limited to the use of illegal substances such as psychedelics. Nothing that any person working for the support line says or does should be construed as advice or encouragement to engage in, or condonement of, any illegal conduct, including but not limited to consuming psychedelics. Any decision to engage in any illegal conduct is yours and yours alone.
8. Do volunteers on the Psychedelic Support Line provide recommendations?
No. We do not recommend or endorse any person, product, or service. We may provide referrals to certain websites or sources of information. When we do provide such referrals, they are provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an endorsement of the information contained on such websites. Fireside Project does not independently vet or verify the credentials or representations contained on other websites or third party sources. Each person should use their own discretion and conduct their own due diligence.
9. Do volunteers on the Psychedelic Support Line provide recommendations to underground psychedelic therapists?
No. As noted above, Fireside Project does not encourage or condone any illegal activities, including but not limited to the consumption of psychedelic substances. Nothing that any person working for the support line says or does should be construed as advice or encouragement to engage in any illegal conduct, including the consumption of psychedelic substances. Any decision to engage in any illegal conduct is yours and yours alone.
10. Do some helplines record calls?
Yes. Examples include the Veterans’ Crisis Line, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the Substance Abuse and National Mental Health Administration’s (SAMSHA) National Helpline, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988), 911, and California’s Peer-Run Warmline. Statewide and county hotlines also routinely record calls for the same reasons.
11. Are conversations on the Psychedelic Support Line recorded?
Yes. Conversations are saved after they have been stripped of personal information. To do this, Fireside Project uses third-party technology to delete personal information. That third-party does not save the recordings. That said, no anonymization service is 100% perfect.
12. Are callers to the Psychedelic Support Line notified that anonymized conversations are recorded?
Yes. All callers receive a message advising them of this at the beginning of the call.
13. Can callers to the Psychedelic Support Line have their anonymized conversation deleted?
Yes. To do so, please email info@firesideproject.org.
14. Why are anonymized conversations on the Psychedelic Support Line recorded?
We are supporting people during some of their most vulnerable, healing, and transformational moments. The nature of this work creates a responsibility for us to work tirelessly on continuing to improve our skills and training and develop our knowledge. A key way we do this is by studying anonymized conversations and evaluating what worked, where we might improve, and what lessons we can draw. We then use this knowledge to better train our volunteers and supervisors.
We also record anonymized conversations to make sure our policies and procedures are being followed, including those regarding confidentiality, boundaries, and ethics. This is for the protection of our callers, our volunteers and staff, and our organization.
15. Does Fireside Project ever sell, rent, or license anonymized conversations to third parties?
No.
16. Are these anonymized conversations shared outside of Fireside Project?
No, except as explained here:
If someone’s life or safety may be in immediate danger, we may call 911 or 988;
We would share this information if required by law. This includes complying with a lawfully issued subpoena, assuming we are able to comply with the subpoena and assuming appropriate efforts to quash the subpoena have exhausted;
We may share this information to enforce our Terms of Use and to protect the rights, privacy, safety, or property of Fireside Project or its users;
We may share this information as part of collaborations with academic institutions on peer-reviewed studies that have been approved by the institutions’ ethics review panel, and where the institution has signed strict non-disclosure agreements; and
We may share this information with third parties in order to provide our services.
17. What steps does Fireside Project take to protect these anonymized conversations?
We take reasonable security precautions, including encryption, administrative, technical, and physical measures, to protect your information from loss, theft, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.
We store the anonymized conversations, call logs, and post-call surveys on servers and we only permit approved Fireside Project personnel and authorized third parties to access those servers. Although we take appropriate measures to safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of information, no system is perfect, and we cannot assure you that your information or communications will never be disclosed in a manner inconsistent with this policy. We make no representations or warranties regarding the sufficiency of our security measures to prevent unauthorized access or interception by third parties.
Part two: Fireside-Certificated (TM) Psychedelic Coaching
18. What is Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching?
Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching is a service where clients purchase scheduled, video conversations with a Fireside-Certified Psychedelic Coach. Clients may choose a coach based on their photos and profiles available on Fireside’s website. The coach provides emotional support before and after, but not during, psychedelic experiences. The foundation of this coaching is the long-term supportive relationship between coach and client.
19. What are some of the key limits on the scope of the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program?
We do not provide any advice about whether to take a psychedelic substance, which substance to take, dosage, or how or who to source a psychedelic substance. We do not make recommendations regarding where psychedelics should be consumed. For example, we don’t recommend psychedelic therapists, retreats, or service centers, even in states where such centers may be legal under state law.
We do not provide medical care, medical assessments, psychotherapy, or any other type of professional service.
We are not a substitute for 911 or any other emergency service. If you believe you or someone with you may be experiencing a medical emergency or any other kind of emergency, please immediately call 911.
20. Are conversations with Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic coaches confidential?
Yes, except when disclosure is required by law or court order, or otherwise discussed in this policy.
21. Must clients disclose any personal information in connection with the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program?
Clients must disclose the information required for processing payment and scheduling Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching sessions, such as name, billing information and email address. Except as required by law, court order or otherwise discussed in this policy, we will keep such information confidential.
22. Is Fireside Project liable for the actions taken by clients who have purchased sessions with a Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic coach?
No. You assume all risks for your use of the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program. Neither Fireside Project, nor any of our employees or agents shall have any liability for or in connection with actions taken or not taken by you or a third party, during, after, as a result of or in connection with your use of the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program. We are not liable for a client’s decision to engage in a psychedelic experience or any actions or omissions in connection with such a decision.
23. Does Fireside Project provide advice on which illegal substances to take, whether to take illegal substances, or the dosage of any such substances through its Fireside-Certified Psychedelic Coaching program?
No. While we provide non-clinical emotional support, Fireside Project does not encourage, condone, or facilitate any illegal activities, including but not limited to the use of illegal substances such as psychedelics. Nothing that any person working says or does in connection with Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching should be construed as advice or encouragement to engage in, condonement of, or facilitation of, any illegal conduct, including but not limited to consuming psychedelics. Any decision to engage in any illegal conduct is yours and yours alone.
24. What are the key differences between the Psychedelic Support Line and the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program?
There are many differences. Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaches provide long-term, scheduled emotional support via Zoom or other videoconferencing platform to paying clients who are preparing for future psychedelic experiences or integrating past ones. Clients select their coach from a database of coaches’ photos and profiles. Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic coaches are employees who have each spent one year or more as volunteers on the Psychedelic Support Line, undergone additional training, and receive weekly supervision. By contrast, the Psychedelic Support Line offers emotional support via free, one-off, unscheduled, inbound conversations by phone and text message between anonymous volunteers and callers who are in the midst of psychedelic experiences or integrating past ones.
25. Are conversations with Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaches recorded?
No.
Part three: Fireside Project’s Website
26. What information is collected on our website?
First, we collect information, including but not limited to, personal information, that you voluntarily provide, such as when you make a donation, sign up to receive information or our newsletter, register to participate in an event, apply to volunteer with Fireside Project, or purchase sessions from the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program. For example:
If you choose to become a member or donor, you may provide us with your full name, your email address, your mailing address, and your credit card information, as well as your membership username and password;
If you apply to volunteer on the support line, you provide us with your name and contact information, information about your references, your education and employment history/experience, professional credentials, online identifiers, and any other information contained in your resume or your application materials.
Second, as you interact with our website, we collect certain information passively through our server and third-party analytics tools. This includes traffic data, web request forms, page views, and information about your computer and internet connection, including your IP address and browser information. We may collect similar information from emails you receive from us that can help us track which emails are opened and which links are clicked by recipients.
We use certain cookies, pixel tags, and other technologies to help us understand how you use our website and personalize your experience. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this site may then be inaccessible or not function properly.
27. Do you ever sell, rent, or license donors’ personal information?
No.
28. Do you ever sell, rent, or license callers’ or Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching clients’ personal information?
No.
29. Can minors use the Fireside Project website?
Our website is not intended for children under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If you believe a child under the age of 18 has disclosed personal information to us, please contact us at info@firesideproject.org, and we will delete that information immediately.
30. What does Fireside Project do with information provided on the website?
When you provide us with personal information on our website, we might use it to:
Process your donation or recurring donations, including to email you receipts and thank you notes;
Create and maintain any membership account that you create;
Communicate with you by email or postal mail to send you information such as newsletters about our programs, services, and events, unless you have directed us not to contact you;
Communicate with you regarding volunteer and donation opportunities;
Help us improve our programs and services;
Bring to our attention community needs or gaps in services;
Help us analyze trends and statistics regarding donations;
Protect the security and integrity of our website and our business;
Fulfill any other purpose for which you provide it;
Comply with the law and any court-ordered requirement to disclose your information; and
For any other purpose with your consent.
By voluntarily providing personal information such as when you make a donation, sign up to receive information or our newsletter, register to participate in an event, apply to volunteer with Fireside Project, purchase sessions from the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program, or by interacting with our website, you consent to Fireside Project processing your information, including any sensitive data.
31. Is this information ever shared?
We may share aggregate, de-identified information collected through our website to promote, maintain, and improve our operations and services without restriction.
We may share personal information to fulfill the purpose(s) for which you provided it (for example, to process your donation) or with your consent. We may also share such information with volunteers who are assisting Fireside Project so that they can perform their duties. We also share information with third parties who provide operational and professional services, such as website hosting, information technology and infrastructure, analytics, email delivery, credit card processing, and auditing.
Finally, we may also disclose your personal information to comply with any court order, law, or legal process, to respond to any government or regulatory request, to enforce or apply our terms of use, or if we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect rights, property, or safety of Fireside Project, our employees, our callers, volunteers, or others.
32. What about when I interact with Fireside Project on social media?
If you engage with Fireside Project on a social media platform, you may be sharing your personal information with your friends associated with your social media account, to other website users and to your social media account provider, in connection with your social sharing activity. Your use of social media is not governed by this privacy policy but instead by the privacy policy of the specific social media platform.
33. Can I ask Fireside Project to access, update, change or delete my personal information?
You may make a request regarding any personal information we may have of yours by emailing us at info@firesideproject.org, after which you will be prompted to confirm your request. In handling deletion requests, we will follow the standards set out in applicable state laws and will decline to process requests only if there is a specific reason. For example, we may decline to process a deletion request if we need the information to comply with the law, ensure the security and integrity of our systems, or protect physical safety.
34. Does Fireside Project list some emotional support resources on its website?
Our website may link to other websites and online resources. Such links are provided for informational purposes and convenience only. We do not recommend or endorse any person, product, or service. When Fireside Project provides links on its website, the links are provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an endorsement of the information contained on such websites. Fireside Project does not independently vet or verify the credentials or representations contained on other websites. Each person should use their own discretion and conduct their own due diligence when accessing external links and websites. If you interact with a third-party website or online resource, your use of that third party website or online resource is not covered by this policy.
35. How do you protect information collected on the website?
To protect your information, we have put in place security measures designed to protect your information from accidental loss and unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure, and you should understand this before interacting online, including with our website. The safety and security of your information depends on you. For example, if you create an account on our website, you are responsible for keeping the login information confidential.
Part four: policies that apply to the psychedelic support Line, the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching Program and/or website
36. Are there restrictions on how clients may use the Psychedelic Support Line, Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program and/or our website?
Yes, please see our Terms of Use. In summary, these services may not be used:
For any unlawful purpose;
In a way that violates any federal, state, local, or international law or regulation;
To exploit, harm, or attempt to exploit or harm minors or any other person;
To threaten, harass, or otherwise abuse Fireside Project, its employees, partners, agents, contractors, volunteers, or others;
To impersonate or attempt to impersonate another person or entity;
To engage in any conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone’s use or enjoyment of Fireside Project or any of its services, or which may harm Fireside Project or users of our services, or expose us to liability;
To copy, adapt, decompile, reverse engineer, attempt to discover the source code of or make derivative works of any of Fireside Project’s services, including but not limited to the Psychedelic Support Line or the software console used by volunteers;
To interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of Fireside Project’s services, including but not limited to the Psychedelic Support Line and the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching program.
37. Does Fireside Project make any guarantees or warranties about the Psychedelic Support Line, Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching and/or website?
No. We’ll do our best, and we will try to keep improving our services. But we can’t make any guarantees or warranties. Our services and website are “as is” and “as available.”
We disclaim all warranties, both express or implied, including the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. This disclaimer applies to all damages or injuries, including those caused by any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect or delay in operation or transmission, whether for breach of contract, tortious behavior, including negligence, or any other cause of action.
38. What happens if someone violates this policy?
Fireside Project, at our sole discretion, reserves the right to terminate an individual’s access to the Psychedelic Support Line and the Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching Program.
39. Does Fireside Project ever sell, rent, or license call logs or post-call surveys to third parties?
No.
By post-call surveys, we’re referring to the surveys sent to Psychedelic Support Line callers and Fireside-Certified (TM) Psychedelic Coaching clients to learn about their experience and improve our services.
By call logs, we’re referring to the electronic form filled out by volunteers after every call and coaches after every session. Call logs include categories of information such as whether the conversation involved someone tripping or integrating a past trip, as well as a summary of the conversation.
40. Are call logs or post-call surveys shared outside of Fireside Project?
No, except as explained here:
If someone’s life or safety may be in immediate danger, we may call 911 or 988;
We would share this information if required by law. This includes complying with a lawfully issued subpoena, assuming we are able to comply with the subpoena and assuming appropriate efforts to quash the subpoena have exhausted;
We may share this information to enforce our Terms of Use and to protect the rights, privacy, safety, or property of Fireside Project or its users.
We may share this information with third parties in order to provide our services.
41. What steps does Fireside Project take to protect these call logs and post-call surveys?
We take reasonable security precautions, including encryption, administrative, technical, and physical measures, to protect your information from loss, theft, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.
We store call logs and post-call surveys on servers and we only permit approved Fireside Project personnel and authorized third parties to access those servers. Although we take appropriate measures to safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of information, no system is perfect, and we cannot assure you that your information or communications will never be disclosed in a manner inconsistent with this policy. We make no representations or warranties regarding the sufficiency of our security measures to prevent unauthorized access or interception by third parties.
42. Does Fireside Project sometimes aggregate information for use in presentations?
Yes. For example, Fireside Project may do a presentation stating that 40 percent of our callers indicated they called to integrate a past psychedelic experience.