Story by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

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HARRISBURG — An attorney advocated for allowing opioid settlement money to be spent on public defenders.

A prevention expert talked about effective strategies for deterring substance misuse in the first place, cautioning against one-time speakers at assemblies.

Multiple family members who lost loved ones to a drug overdose shared their personal experiences, and some speakers criticized what they see as secrecy around funding decisions.

“Here’s what we want: full transparency,” said Carla Sofronski, executive direc

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