Hundreds of millions of dollars from opioid settlements have flowed into Pennsylvania to help the state respond to an epidemic that kills thousands of people each year — and even more money is expected in the years to come.
But members of the public, including people who have lost loved ones to overdose deaths, have been routinely shut out of having a meaningful say in how the money should be spent. The crisis has deeply affected families, increased risks for children, and added pressure to agencies responsible for investigating cases of abuse and neglect.
In our reporting, we’ve heard from parents, advocates, and other community members who want greater transparency and a larger role in these settlement decisions. Now we’re continuing those conversations.
Join us for a live discussion on how the opioid epidemic has affected families, and how they want to see the settlement money used. We’ll hear directly from those impacted by the issue and share tools that have increased transparency and accountability. We encourage our audience to share their stories to their comfort level and try to gain new perspectives from listening to others.
Who:
Ed Mahon, investigative reporter for Spotlight PA
Cathleen Palm, founder, Center for Children’s Justice
Kathleen Strain, manager of advocacy and peer services, Partnership to End Addiction
When: Thursday, April 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Berks Community Health Center, 1110 Rockland St, Reading, PA 19604.
The event will be in partnership with Center for Children’s Justice, Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Network, Partnership to End Addiction, and Berks Community Health Center, who will offer local and state resources related to addiction and family support services.
This event is made possible in part by an engagement grant by the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2024 Data Fellowship.
This event will be photographed and recorded. If you do not wish to be photographed, please notify a staff member.
Any questions or concerns can be directed to events@spotlightpa.org
» Spotlight PA’s events operate on a “pay-what-you-can” honor system. If you value this public-service event, pay it forward and contribute any amount to Spotlight PA now so we can keep our programming free for everyone: spotlightpa.org/donate.
