MTV is bringing back its “16 and” format for four-part docuseries “16 and Recovering,” a study of teenage addiction in a similar vein to “16 and Pregnant.”
This series, which hails from Steve Liss and Regina K. Scully of the Artemis Rising Foundation, follows nine students for one year at Northshore Recovery High School, a public high school in Beverly, Mass. where teens work to recover from drug addictions while earning their diplomas.
Principal Michelle Lipinski founded the school. Based on the trailer, she’s just about the most wonderful person on Earth.
As part of its effort to raise awareness and provide helpful resources for those struggling with addiction, MTV is collaborating with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, on website 16andrecovering.com. The online hub, which will launch with the series, will arm 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, according to MTV. Additionally, viewers will be able to access information to better understand treatment options and the complexities of the addiction and recovery system.
“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,” Chris McCarthy, the president of ViacomCBS’ entertainment & youth group, said in a statement.
“When I opened Recovery High, my goal was to create a community for students to safely recover from addiction,” Lipinski said. “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.”
“Principal Michelle Lipinski and the students of Recovery High School instilled their trust in me, granting unprecedented access into their lives and allowing this docuseries to showcase the pain of teenage addiction and the joy of recovery,” Liss added. “I’m grateful that MTV is reviving this franchise with ’16 and Recovering’ and is taking on one of the most critical issues today facing young people and their families.”
Watch the trailer via the video above.
“16 and Pregnant” aired for five seasons from 2009-2014.
“16 and Recovering” premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. September is National Recovery Month.
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