TROY — As communities continue to lose lives to the deadly and growing opioid epidemic, the U.S. Attorney's Office is teaming up with Rensselaer County to put on a series of events it hopes will boost public understanding of opioid use, abuse and addiction in the hard-hit community.

The new partnership also includes the county Department of Health, Sheriff's Office, District Attorney's Office and Heroin Coalition, State Police and school districts. The focus will be on prevention and response to the epidemic.

"We are experiencing the deadliest drug epidemic in our nation's history," said U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.

Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under 50, and two-thirds of those deaths are from opioid overdoses from prescription painkillers, as well as illicit drugs like heroin and fentanyl.

The U.S. Attorney's Office decided to partner with Rensselaer County on the issue after a screening of "Chasing the Dragon: The Life of An Opiate Addict" — a documentary film commissioned by the FBI and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration — at Hudson Valley Community College in 2017.

"Rensselaer County has taken some really big, strong steps to address the crisis, and they're doing it an across-the-board way that we don't always see in other counties, with their local government, sheriff's office, and so forth," Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick said.

Rensselaer County, like many upstate communities, has struggled to curb the epidemic. In 2016, it recorded 33 deaths from opioid overdoses, and in 2017, 30, county spokesman Rich Crist said.

"The problem of heroin and opiate addiction has reached a crisis level in Rensselaer County," said County Executive Steve McLaughlin. "Our county has seen several dozen fatal overdoses in just the past two years, and many more lives and families scarred by the scourge of addiction and abuse."

The upcoming events will include daytime school assemblies and evening events around the community. All will include a viewing of "Chasing the Dragon," followed by a panel discussion.

Panelists will include parents whose children are addicts, a young person who is addicted and in treatment, school counselors, treatment counselors, first responders, sheriff's deputies and state troopers, an assistant U.S. attorney, the district attorney, a pharmacist, a funeral home employee, a recovery coach, people in recovery, and students who have made the commitment to be alcohol- and drug-free.

Schools districts are invited to host assemblies and community events. For more information, go to the county website for updates or call the county Health Department at 518-270-2626.