C3 De-ecalation® had its roots at Northwestern University in 1994, where Andra Medea taught Conflict Management. As research from Dr. John Gottman showed how a flood of adrenaline drove aggression, Andra began searching for new and better ways to apply that science. Developed into the Virtual Tranquilizer, de-escalation programs were created for the National Guard, the American Bar Association, substance abuse counselors and judges.
In 2003 Andra was approached by Zak Mucha, LSCD, who was the head of an Assertive Community Treatment team. ACT worked with clients with severe and chronic mental illness, drug involvement and homelessness. Clients often went off their medication, and staff had to call in the police on a regular basis. Could Andra’s techniques be adapted for situations this extreme? It took five years of development, but Andra and Zak were finally satisfied that the refined techniques could be taught to anyone: counselors, administrators, security, even housekeeping. Mental health clients included the Illinois Board of Health, the Illinois Counsel on Long Term Care. and the Illinois Center for Excellence in Co-occurring Disorders.
New research in 2012 brought the techniques to their final version, C3 De-escalation®. C3 has been adopted by a wide variety of professionals who deal with crisis, including mental health professionals, law enforcement, first responders and even teachers and school administrators. Programs include Polk County Health Services, and Safe Within These Walls: De-escalating school situations before they become crises.
Andra’s latest project is Chill, a de-escalation program for young people in neighborhoods affected by violence. Sponsored by the NAACP Chicago Southside Branch, Chill was launched in November, 2016, in a youth summit headlined by Matt Forte, the football star.