For public school students in New York, this year may feel different than any other due to a statewide ban on cellphones in schools.

While it's too early to know the impact the new law will have, a viral video out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, may give parents in New York City and beyond some reasons for hope.

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What New York's bell-to-bell ban means for students

The cellphone ban across New York means students will be without their devices from bell to bell. Schools and school districts have options in terms of how and where to store them, and exceptions will be given for emergencies or medical needs.

"If there is an urgent message, someone at the school with make sure your child gets that message," New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said.

Upper West Side resident Carli Brinkman's oldest daughter, Lillian, is about to start sixth grade at a new school, which would be an adjustment for the two of them under normal circumstances.

Now, a form of direct contact during school has been taken away.

"We're transitioning without being able to connect with her directly with a cellphone, so that makes me a little bit nervous," Carli Brinkman said.

Brinkman says despite her nerves, she understands the decision.

"I do notice behavioral changes when there's too much screen time," she said.

Dr. Jon Cohen studies those changes as the CEO of Talkspace, an online mental health provider that connects teenagers with licensed therapists remotely, in partnership with the city's Department of Health.

"We know that social media addiction is the greatest threat to teenage health. More so now than cigarette smoking. It's a huge epidemic," Cohen said.

Ban leads to more engagement in one Alabama classroom

So what happens when the source of that addiction is taken away? A high school teacher in Alabama shared his experience on TikTok, and it went viral.

Jonathan Buchwalter teaches 11th grade history in Tuscaloosa. His state also just banned smartphones. However, Alabama's school year began in early August, giving New York, perhaps, a glimpse at what's to come.

"They talked to each other," Buchwalter said. "The behavior issues in my class are way down. The interactions that I'm having with my students are more frequent. They're asking for more help because they're doing assignments more often."

• Flashback: Cellphone use in schools and social media must be limited, new poll says. Here's a Long Island district's approach.

CBS News New York education reporter Doug Williams asked Buchwalter what he's noticing when the students are at lunch.

"The lunchroom is incredibly loud, and that is wonderful news because it means they're talking to each other. It means they're hanging out with friends, telling stories about their day, engaging, authentically, with other human beings. Kind of the point of school, right?" Buchwalter said.

The experts at Talkspace say, in addition to the regulations at school, parents should set boundaries for smartphone use in the home, and if they notice signs of depression and anxiety in a teenager, it's never too early to get professional help.