Narconon
®
Loses Bid To Stay - 31 January 92
An unlicensed alcohol and drug treatment center has lost its
bid to remain open while it appealed a state board's ruling that
its treatment program is medically unsafe and should be shut
down.
Oklahoma County district Judge Leamon Freeman denied a request
from narconon chilocco New Life Center to remain open and accept
new patients because the facility never has been licensed. The
center has been accepting patients since February 1990.
Freeman on Wednesday (Jan. 29) said he could not issue a stay
order because the center was not licensed before the Oklahoma
Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services voted last
month to deny certification.
Guy Hurst, a lawyer in the state attorney general's office,
said Thursday (Jan. 30) it was unclear what action state
officials would take. It is clear the facility cannot accept new
patients, he said.
Narconon Chilocco's financial director said the center could
close if it cannot immediately start admitting new patients.
Lawyers for Narconon Chilocco on Thursday (Jan. 30) filed a
request in Oklahoma County District Court for a permanent
injunction to prohibit state officials from closing the facility,
six miles north of Newkirk.
Harry Woods Jr. said the motion was filed before District
Judge John Amick, who last month left in place a restraining
order allowing Narconon Chilocco to remain open after the state
mental health board voted to deny certification.
Board members also had voted to have Narconon Chilocco closed
within a week, saying they feared for the safety of the 27
patients then at the facility.
Board members said Narconon Chilocco's treatment program,
which relies heavily on vitamins, sauna and exercise, was
medically unsafe and experimental.
Lawyers for Narconon Chilocco have filed appeals in Oklahoma
and Kay counties.
If Freeman had upheld Narconon Chilocco's request for a stay,
it would have allowed the center to accept up to 40 patients and
operate until the appeal was decided.
A hearing is scheduled next month in Ponca City on the state's
request to shut down Narconon Chilocco because it is operating
without a state license.
Barred from admitting new or former patients since Dec. 13,
the center is unable to earn money and is being forced to scale
down its operation to stay financially afloat, according to an
affidavit signed by the financial director for Narconon Chilocco.
The center recently started training staff members for other
Narconon cneters, but the revenue is considerably less than that
from patients, who pay an average of $21,000 for a three-month
program, said Maureen St. Amand.
St. Amand said Narconon Chilocco owes creditors $328,000.
Contributions and fees raised from training staff fall far below
the facility's $172,000 monthly operating expenses, she said.
As of last week, narconon Chilocco had 15 patients, but eight
are Indians who are receiving free treatment, as provided in the
center's agreement to lease the old Chilocco Indian school.
"Without the immediate reinstatement of Narconon's
ability to enroll new students at Chilocco, the facility will
have to close for lack of revenue," she said.
The name "Narconon"® is trademarked to the Scientology
organization through one of their many front groups. The name
"Scientology"® is also trademarked to the "Church"
of Scientology. Neither this web page, nor this web site, nor any of the
individuals mentioned herein assisting to educate the public about the
dangers of the Narconon scam are members of or representitives of the
Scientology organization.
If you or a loved one needs help -- real help -- there are
a number of rehabilitation programs you can contact. The real
Narcotics Anonymous organization
can get you in touch with real people who can help you.
Click [HERE] to visit Narcotics
Anonymous's web site. Narcotics Anonymous's telephone number is
1 (818) 773-9999.
Return to The NarCONon exposure's main Index page.
Forward: For a systematic, detailed, professional exposure of
Scientology's "Narconon" front group, visit the
Narconon Exposed web site.
By Michael McNutt, Enid Bureau
The Daily Oklahoman
Friday, January 31, 1992
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