With support from the University of Alabama at Birmingham's (UAB) Minority Health & Health Equity Research Center (MHERC), Carrie A. Tuggle Elementary School recently celebrated the opening of its new Calm Down Room. This evidence-based calming room, which opened for daily usage on May 28, 2024, is equipped with sensory-based materials to provide students with a safe space to process and de-escalate intense emotions and manage their behaviors more effectively.
Students often experience intense emotions that can lead to verbal and physical outbursts. These incidents typically occur in classrooms or other areas of the school that are not ideal for calming a student in crisis. Tuggle Elementary’s new Calm Down Room provides faculty and staff with a controlled environment where students can process their emotions and reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom.
The MHERC’s involvement with Tuggle Elementary began in 2020 through its Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Coalition, which brings community leaders and stakeholders together to address social determinants and improve health outcomes. The BHC supports the MHERC’s mission to translate science into better health for all by examining the intersections of social, economic, and cultural factors affecting health. Through its Fountain Heights coalition, the MHERC was able to provide Tuggle Elementary with funding for materials, tools, and resources needed to build the Calm Down Room.
Additionally, the MHERC facilitated a visit from Dr. Michele Kong, a Professor in UAB's Department of Pediatrics and the founder and Medical Director of the Sensory Integration Program at Children's of Alabama that centers on removing barriers to diagnosis and improving delivery of care, particularly for children with sensory, social and communication challenges. Dr. Kong toured the facilities and offered her expertise to ensure the room was optimized for the students’ needs.
Research has shown that calming rooms are essential for supporting student mental health, particularly for those with diagnosed conditions. Tuggle Elementary School serves a significant number of students diagnosed with conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) through its special education services program.
The Tuggle Elementary School Instructional Leadership Team, along with the Department of Social Emotional Learning mental health personnel, will use the Calm Down Room as part of their broader strategy to support student mental health. By providing this space for students to access mental health support within the school, the MHERC is working to address health challenges that prevent health equity.