TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) – Some teachers in west Alabama are getting special training to recognize when students are having a mental crisis, and when they need help.
The Tuscaloosa City School District worked with The Tuscaloosa Police Department on what they are calling “crucial training,” spending eight hours ensuring teachers feel prepared to handle students who may experience a mental health crisis.
The training was a big enough deal that the school district had kids take a day off from school so that teachers could learn.
University Place Elementary School Assistant Principal Christina Holman has seen situations like that too many times to count: Students showing signs of depression, anxiety or anger outbursts — clear signs something is wrong.
Teachers at University Place Elementary School recently took an 8-hour course in learning how to de-escalate student mental crisis.(Bryan Henry)
“Coming post COVID, people carrying more trauma than prior to, and we’ve seen that in our student population and teacher population, so anything we can respond to trauma and give teachers the tools in order to deescalate certain situations,” said Holman
That’s why more than 100 teachers took part in the eight hour training provided by Tuscaloosa Police: To learn what to look for and how to handle it.
“They learned about deescalate techniques, suicidal behaviors and how to respond to those,” said Tesney Davis, Tuscaloosa City School District’s Administrator for Mental and Social Services.
The one-day training didn’t turn teachers into mental health experts or arm them with a quick fix. That was not the goal. It was more along the lines of knowing who to turn to when a student is struggling.
“They’re able to get students to a counselor, a social worker, so the administrator can get appropriate help for the child,” Davis said.
Davis and Holman admitted this adds another responsibility for teachers on top of their teaching duties. Still, Holman looks at it from a different perspective. In that training, for example, teachers learned that suicide is the second leading cause of death for teenagers across the country and young adults from ages 10 to 34.
“I think providing them with the correct training in order to give them the tools to be be successful. It’s going to be more helpful than just one more thing,” said Holman.
University Place Elementary has a student population of more than 500. Holman and Davis are here to make sure not one child is overlooked in their time of need.
Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.
Copyright 2026 WBRC. All rights reserved.