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ILLINOIS — Members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois are calling for some of the $760 million the state is set to receive from a national opioid settlement to be spent on early childhood programs.

State’s Attorneys for DuPage, Winnebago, and Rock Island counties all took part in a virtual press conference to discuss why they believe a portion of the settlement money can help strengthen opioid prevention and remediation efforts through key early childhood programs, according to a press release. The speakers also went into detail on the impact the opioid epidemic has had on children, their families, and their communities in their respective counties.

According to the release, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is a nonprofit, nonpartisan network of law enforcement leaders – more than 5,000 nationwide, and 320 in Illinois – whose members strive to help curb crime and violence through through research-proven investments in children and youth.

See the entire virtual press conference in the video above.