MTV Announces Docuseries ’16 and Recovering’

MTV has announced four-part “16 and Recovering,'” which follows nine students at Northshore Recovery High School that  was founded to address the rise in adolescent addiction. Northshore Recovery High School is a public high school in Beverly, Massachusetts where teens work to recover from drug addictions while earning their diplomas. Principal and Founder Michelle Lipinski founded the school in order to create a safe and supportive community, while placing a high value on education and accountability.

The series comes from Steve Liss and Regina K. Scully of the Artemis Rising Foundation, and it premieres on MTV on Tuesday, September 1st at 9 p.m. ET to kick off National Recovery Month.

“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,” said Chris McCarthy, President of ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group.
“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,” said Nina L. Diaz, President and Chief Creative Content Officer, ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group. “We are honored to bring their powerful stories to the forefront.”

“When I opened Recovery High, my goal was to create a community for students to safely recover from addiction,” said Lipinski. “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.”