Most communities are constantly developing strategies to battle the opioid epidemic.

"People still believe yes, it's a disease, but it's a disease you selected; it's a disease you volunteered for," said Chemical Dependency Independent Consultant and Analyst Michael Nerney.

"The war on drugs didn't work. It failed," said Village of Massena Mayor Timmy Currier. "The term doesn't even work, but we found that coalition and working together with all the partner agencies does benefit us all."

One strategy communities are considering: partnering with media to help with the prevention process.

"It really puts up media as an approachable entity in the community who is there not to just sell advertising, but to really be a part of the solution," said Alliance for Better Communities Project Director Anita Seefried-Brown.

Eighteen coalitions from the Capital Region to the North Country assembled Tuesday for the first-ever "United to Fight It" summit. Organizers say the summit's mission is to brainstorm ways to "get in front" of the epidemic.

"We are inviting media to not just be coalition members, but to be partners," said Seefried-Brown.

Researchers say that particularly vulnerable youth -- those between the ages of 18 and 24 with emotional, physical and mental needs unmet -- are constantly consuming information about drugs via news, social media and advertising.

"At the same time, you have someone who is saying 'you know how you can take care of that, try this scary drug that the media is talking about.' So you have the emotional needs, the risk-taking and the access," said Nerney.

Because of the impact of exposure, Nerney says it's about learning how to create news stories, social media and advertising which can help in the battle to end the epidemic. 

"The media can be helpful in a lot of ways, not only uncovering news stories, but in helping get those stories out and the education out," said Nerney.

Organizers plan to have the summit annually. Although they're in the early phases on planning for next year, they say it may be in Rensselaer County with a focus on youth.