39 VOLUME 5 |ISSUE 3 |2014
other cultures. The school’s administration had worked with
students to ensure that no consecrated host, the sacramental
wafer that has been blessed by a priest and is used in the
Eucharist ceremony, would be used to reenact the black mass.
(Bloomberg News, 5/12/14)
Lawsuits Target Scientology Rehab Center in Nevada
Narconon’s Caliente, Nevada drug-and-alcohol rehab facility is
considered the last hope for some families, with its promise of
a 76% success rate to get addicts off drugs. But several federal
lawsuits now target the unlicensed Narconon program, whose
patients and families say the rehab center isn’t curing addictions
but instead trying to recruit people into Scientology.
Patients say they were exposed to mold, lice, and treatments that
forced them to try to lift objects with their mind, while Narconon’s
own unverified videos show a clean, safe rehab center. Current
Nevada law considers private facilities exempt from inspection,
and an effort the health department made to state lawmakers
through Senate Bill 501 to close what they called a loophole in the
law would have allowed state inspections inside Narconon. But
the bill did not pass before the session ended.
Las Vegas attorney Ryan Hamilton now is taking Narconon to
federal court on behalf of multiple families nationwide in a series
of federal lawsuits, with “the fraud claim being that we were
promised drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment, but instead
… received Scientology.” So far, the families suing Narconon are
from Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and Virginia.
Narconon recently changed its name by adding “Fresh Start”
or simply calling itself Rainbow Canyon Retreat. Narconon’s
advertisements mention nothing about Scientology, and families
claim in the federal lawsuits that recruiters never mentioned
the word Narconon, even though Scientology’s own guidebook
devotes an entire chapter to its controlling role in Narconon.
In legal filings, Narcanon claims the federal lawsuits should be
dismissed, saying through its attorneys that the complaints
against it were not “simple” and “direct” enough. Hamilton has
filed two new federal lawsuits against Narconon Fresh Start.
These lawsuits focus on facilities in Colorado. (KLAS-TV, 5/12/14)
Narconon Faces Federal Lawsuit
In the latest update, a federal lawsuit against Narconon and the
Church of Scientology seeks an immediate injunction to prevent
unauthorized use of counseling certifications, trademarks, and
logos along with compensatory, statutory, and punitive damages,
plus attorneys’ fees. The lawsuit filed by the National Association
of Forensic Counselors (NAFC) at the Eastern District Court of
Oklahoma in Muskogee names Narconon International, the
Church of Scientology International, and 80 other Narconon-
related defendants. NAFC is the only organization to offer an
accredited Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor certification
on a national level and has never delegated the authority to
provide such certifications to any of the named defendants,
according to the lawsuit.
The suit alleges that NAFC has suffered by the “repeated abuse
and misuse of the NAFC logos, trademarks, and certifications,” and
that more than “400 Narconon-associated websites contained
the purported certifications of staff members that, in reality,
have had certifications that have been suspended, revoked, or
never existed.” The lawsuit also alleges that a Narconon facility
advertised affiliation with an NAFC board that is no longer in
existence.
Among other allegations, the lawsuit charges that “as recently
as March 2013 Narconon Arrowhead falsely advertised that the
National Board of Addiction Examiners recognized Narconon
Arrowhead for their facility location and for their world class
staff… Specifically, Plaintiffs claim that the misuse was calculated
to increase the credibility of the Narconon Treatment Centers and
the affiliated counselors, and to expand the reach and profitability
of the Church of Scientology International to Plaintiffs’ detriment.”
The Oklahoma Arrowhead facility has been under investigation
following the deaths of three Narconon clients, all found dead
at the facility within a 9-month span. A fourth died while at a
local hospital. The deaths spurred legislation that was signed
into law in 2013. Since then, several wrongful-death lawsuits,
along with a number of other lawsuits alleging that Narconon’s
counselors traded drugs for sex and other allegations, have been
filed in Pittsburg County (Oklahoma) District Court. The County
Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and
the District 18 District Attorneys continue to investigate the four
deaths, according to Sheriff Joel Kerns. (McAlester News-Capital,
5/22/14)
Lawsuits Allege State Suppressed Narconon Report,
Fired Investigators
Two lawsuits against the state of Oklahoma’s Department of
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) claim
the agency “buried” an inspector general’s report recommending
that Narconon Arrowhead be shut down after three patients died
there. The lawsuits state that the Department fired Kim Poff, its
inspector general, and Michael DeLong, an investigator, last year
after they objected to the agency withholding the Narconon
report.
A multiagency investigation of Narconon Arrowhead, the flagship
branch of an international drug-rehabilitation organization, began
after a patient died from a drug overdose at the facility in July
2012. Her death followed the deaths of two other patients in 2011
and 2012.
Following these deaths, state lawmakers passed legislation
to give the state more regulatory authority over the facility.
Then Narconon Arrowhead sought certification as a residential
substance-abuse treatment center but withdrew its application
before Department of Mental Health site visits. The facility has
now applied for certification as a substance-abuse halfway house,
defined by state law as one that provides “low intensity substance
abuse treatment in a supportive living environment to facilitate
the individual’s reintegration into the community.”
Poff sued the agency for wrongful termination, civil conspiracy,
and other claims in Oklahoma County District Court on
other cultures. The school’s administration had worked with
students to ensure that no consecrated host, the sacramental
wafer that has been blessed by a priest and is used in the
Eucharist ceremony, would be used to reenact the black mass.
(Bloomberg News, 5/12/14)
Lawsuits Target Scientology Rehab Center in Nevada
Narconon’s Caliente, Nevada drug-and-alcohol rehab facility is
considered the last hope for some families, with its promise of
a 76% success rate to get addicts off drugs. But several federal
lawsuits now target the unlicensed Narconon program, whose
patients and families say the rehab center isn’t curing addictions
but instead trying to recruit people into Scientology.
Patients say they were exposed to mold, lice, and treatments that
forced them to try to lift objects with their mind, while Narconon’s
own unverified videos show a clean, safe rehab center. Current
Nevada law considers private facilities exempt from inspection,
and an effort the health department made to state lawmakers
through Senate Bill 501 to close what they called a loophole in the
law would have allowed state inspections inside Narconon. But
the bill did not pass before the session ended.
Las Vegas attorney Ryan Hamilton now is taking Narconon to
federal court on behalf of multiple families nationwide in a series
of federal lawsuits, with “the fraud claim being that we were
promised drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment, but instead
… received Scientology.” So far, the families suing Narconon are
from Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and Virginia.
Narconon recently changed its name by adding “Fresh Start”
or simply calling itself Rainbow Canyon Retreat. Narconon’s
advertisements mention nothing about Scientology, and families
claim in the federal lawsuits that recruiters never mentioned
the word Narconon, even though Scientology’s own guidebook
devotes an entire chapter to its controlling role in Narconon.
In legal filings, Narcanon claims the federal lawsuits should be
dismissed, saying through its attorneys that the complaints
against it were not “simple” and “direct” enough. Hamilton has
filed two new federal lawsuits against Narconon Fresh Start.
These lawsuits focus on facilities in Colorado. (KLAS-TV, 5/12/14)
Narconon Faces Federal Lawsuit
In the latest update, a federal lawsuit against Narconon and the
Church of Scientology seeks an immediate injunction to prevent
unauthorized use of counseling certifications, trademarks, and
logos along with compensatory, statutory, and punitive damages,
plus attorneys’ fees. The lawsuit filed by the National Association
of Forensic Counselors (NAFC) at the Eastern District Court of
Oklahoma in Muskogee names Narconon International, the
Church of Scientology International, and 80 other Narconon-
related defendants. NAFC is the only organization to offer an
accredited Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor certification
on a national level and has never delegated the authority to
provide such certifications to any of the named defendants,
according to the lawsuit.
The suit alleges that NAFC has suffered by the “repeated abuse
and misuse of the NAFC logos, trademarks, and certifications,” and
that more than “400 Narconon-associated websites contained
the purported certifications of staff members that, in reality,
have had certifications that have been suspended, revoked, or
never existed.” The lawsuit also alleges that a Narconon facility
advertised affiliation with an NAFC board that is no longer in
existence.
Among other allegations, the lawsuit charges that “as recently
as March 2013 Narconon Arrowhead falsely advertised that the
National Board of Addiction Examiners recognized Narconon
Arrowhead for their facility location and for their world class
staff… Specifically, Plaintiffs claim that the misuse was calculated
to increase the credibility of the Narconon Treatment Centers and
the affiliated counselors, and to expand the reach and profitability
of the Church of Scientology International to Plaintiffs’ detriment.”
The Oklahoma Arrowhead facility has been under investigation
following the deaths of three Narconon clients, all found dead
at the facility within a 9-month span. A fourth died while at a
local hospital. The deaths spurred legislation that was signed
into law in 2013. Since then, several wrongful-death lawsuits,
along with a number of other lawsuits alleging that Narconon’s
counselors traded drugs for sex and other allegations, have been
filed in Pittsburg County (Oklahoma) District Court. The County
Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and
the District 18 District Attorneys continue to investigate the four
deaths, according to Sheriff Joel Kerns. (McAlester News-Capital,
5/22/14)
Lawsuits Allege State Suppressed Narconon Report,
Fired Investigators
Two lawsuits against the state of Oklahoma’s Department of
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) claim
the agency “buried” an inspector general’s report recommending
that Narconon Arrowhead be shut down after three patients died
there. The lawsuits state that the Department fired Kim Poff, its
inspector general, and Michael DeLong, an investigator, last year
after they objected to the agency withholding the Narconon
report.
A multiagency investigation of Narconon Arrowhead, the flagship
branch of an international drug-rehabilitation organization, began
after a patient died from a drug overdose at the facility in July
2012. Her death followed the deaths of two other patients in 2011
and 2012.
Following these deaths, state lawmakers passed legislation
to give the state more regulatory authority over the facility.
Then Narconon Arrowhead sought certification as a residential
substance-abuse treatment center but withdrew its application
before Department of Mental Health site visits. The facility has
now applied for certification as a substance-abuse halfway house,
defined by state law as one that provides “low intensity substance
abuse treatment in a supportive living environment to facilitate
the individual’s reintegration into the community.”
Poff sued the agency for wrongful termination, civil conspiracy,
and other claims in Oklahoma County District Court on
