South Shore Peer Recovery scales access to care while reducing transportation costs with Uber Health

In Massachusetts, South Shore Peer Recovery is helping people find stability, connection, and hope in their recovery from addiction. What began as a grassroots response to a series of opioid overdoses in the town of Scituate has grown into a trusted community resource, with locations in Scituate and Weymouth, supporting individuals and families navigating addiction recovery every day.

Everyone who works at South Shore Peer Recovery is a person in recovery. “Our mission is about creating a safe space in the heart of the community where people with lived experience come together to find support, hope, and build skills,” says Mark Mulhern, Executive Director. “We’re very proud of the fact that we are a grassroots organization.” Everything they offer to peers is free, including recovery coaching, support groups, and community events, as well as the transportation needed to attend these important activities.

Overcoming the challenge of scale with help from Uber Health

Providing free transportation support to everyone is a major commitment. When South Shore Peer Recovery first started, it relied on staff to drive peers to appointments. “We had one person essentially working out of their car, ferrying people back and forth,” Mulhern says. “At the same time, they were supposed to be providing daily check-ins and one-on-one support. The logistics were a nightmare.”

As the program grew, the team explored other options, including leasing a van, but the financial reality was stark. After factoring in lease payments, insurance, fuel, and maintenance, annual costs were set to exceed $30,000, and the van would have to be paid for whether it was fully used or not. For an organization that depends heavily on fundraising and grant support, that kind of fixed overhead carried significant risk. “Every dollar matters for us,” says Mulhern, who discovered Uber Health while searching for cost-effective alternatives. “For us, it looked like a game changer.”

From trial to full implementation

The organization piloted Uber Health in collaboration with a local hospital partner. The goal was simple: make sure individuals could get to time-sensitive follow-up appointments after hospital discharge. Following the success of the pilot, South Shore Peer Recovery quickly expanded beyond clinical appointments to include transportation to recovery groups, coaching sessions, and community events. Staff members liked the efficiency of the platform. Peers enjoyed the comfort of an Uber ride. “When a private car is coming to pick you up and drive you, it’s an entirely different experience,” says Mulhern. “It’s much more personal. It says we care about you.”

Flexible rides reduce administrative burden and increase independence

South Shore Peer Recovery has recently added flexible Uber rides to its offering. Flexible rides let staff approve transportation to be taken within a set time window, including for round-trip travel. Peers then receive a text message with a link and can request their ride whenever they’re ready. “They literally just click on a link and an Uber ride is on the way in minutes,” Mulhern says. “When they’re ready to go home, they click the link again.”

For staff, this significantly reduces manual scheduling time and back-and-forth coordination. For peers, it reinforces autonomy and dignity. “When we can say your ride is taken care of, it creates this feeling of ‘Someone really cares,’ ” Mulhern says. “A private ride you call for when you’re ready, it’s much more personal.”

Visibility and accountability through the Uber Health dashboard

Mulhern’s background in economics and finance shapes how the organization operates. South Shore Peer Recovery tracks measurable outcomes, including unique individuals served, group participation, and hours of peer support delivered. Uber Health complements this data-driven approach.

The Uber Health dashboard provides real-time visibility into rides, mileage, utilization, and cost. Staff can monitor active trips, review ride history, and maintain control over pickup and dropoff locations. “There’s no wiggle room in it,” Mulhern says. “We control the pickup and destination, and we can see exactly what’s happening.” This level of transparency strengthens compliance management and simplifies financial reporting to donors, municipal partners, and grant providers. It also ensures that transportation resources are used appropriately and efficiently.

Major cost savings with greater reach

In 2025, South Shore Peer Recovery delivered 340 rides with Uber Health at a total cost of about $8,000. Compared with the projected $30,000+ annual cost of operating a van, the savings are substantial. Says Mulhern: “We are running our transportation program at roughly one-fourth the cost of a van, with more flexibility and better reach.”

Importantly, this also lets staff time remain focused on coaching, group facilitation, and community support instead of logistics. “To find a solution that makes our lives easier, gets more people in our door, and saves money at the same time has been a dream come true,” Mulhern says.

For South Shore Peer Recovery, on-demand transportation is not just an operational function; it also gets to the heart of the organization’s philosophy. “We believe in making recovery as frictionless as possible,” Mulhern says. With Uber Health, that now includes stress-free rides that remove barriers and help a small but mighty organization serve more people when they need support the most.