MTV to Debut 16 and Recovering

MTV is set to mark National Recovery Month with the new limited series 16 and Recovering.

The four-part docuseries follows nine students at Northshore Recovery High School, which was founded to address the rise in adolescent addiction. From Emmy-nominated Steve Liss and Regina K. Scully of the Artemis Rising Foundation, the series was made in collaboration with leading experts in recovery and addiction, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). 16 and Recovering premieres on MTV on September 1.

Critical information and resources can be found on 16andrecovering.com, a new site that will launch in conjunction with the premiere. This online hub will provide audiences with robust offerings, including a resource guide to foster productive and meaningful conversations around the series, tools for educators to support their students and opportunities for people to get involved at a community level. Additionally, viewers will be able to access information to better understand treatment options and the complexities of the addiction and recovery system.

Chris McCarthy, president of ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group, said: “As this generation comes of age into a society facing an opioid epidemic, we believe the power of storytelling—and collaboration with experts like NIDA and Michelle—will be a wake-up call for audiences, parents and community to break the stigma, foster empathy and expand access to treatment for young people.”

Nina L. Diaz, president and chief creative content officer at ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group, saoid: “It has been a privilege to earn the trust of Michelle and these remarkable teens who bravely share their journeys and demonstrate such extraordinary resilience as they work to overcome addiction. We are honored to bring their powerful stories to the forefront.”

Michelle Lipinski, who founded Northshore Recovery High School, said: “When I opened Recovery High, my goal was to create a community for students to safely recover from addiction. I’m grateful to partner with MTV in order to tell this story of resilience and showcase that recovery is possible with the right community. I hope we can be a model of other schools and communities who are addressing this issue.”

Liss added: “Principal Michelle Lipinski and the students of Recovery High School instilled their trust in me, granting unprecedented access into their lives and allowing this docu-series to showcase the pain of teenage addiction and the joy of recovery. I’m grateful that MTV is reviving this franchise with16 and Recovering and is taking on one of the most critical issues today facing young people and their families.”