Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Scientology's Narconon Trois-Rivières Shutdown [update]

Narconon Trois Riveres Shutdown

Quebec should close the detoxification center linked to the controversial Church of Scientology

 journaldemontreal.com ~ (translated) [Apr 17] The Agency for Health and Social Services Mauricie met yesterday the leaders of Narconon, a drug treatment center linked to the controversial Church of Scientology. According to our sources, Quebec should stop its activities.

Seven to eight hours of sauna per day for 21 days, yelled an ashtray, swallow massive doses of vitamin. That is, treatment that offers, among others, Narconon Trois-Rivieres to addicts. This unique method of detoxification is based on the writings of the founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard. A typical stay of two to three months at Narconon Trois-Rivieres costs a whopping $ 23,000 dollars. Many families of drug addicts do not hesitate to invest the money to allow their relatives to end their addiction.

 I must say that Narconon Trois-Rivieres claims that his success rate is 80%. Which is well above average.
David Love
Activist: David Edgar Love
 Multiple complaints
 The center's clientele comes mainly from the United States and English Canada. This is the case of David Edgar Love arriving at Narconon Trois-Rivieres addicted to cocaine and drugs. It follows a year later weaned, but completely traumatized.

 Since then, supported by the Anonymous group which campaigns worldwide against the activities of the Church of Scientology, Love has multiplied formal complaints to the College of Physicians, to the Commission on Human Rights and Revenue Agency Canada. The man has also organized various events to draw media attention to questionable methods of the center.  
Certification
 Along with this genuine mare media, the Agency for Health and Social Services Montérégie conducted an investigation and met with former disgruntled patients. This survey was part of the framework of a certification process of detoxification centers present in Quebec.

 The initiative was also coming to Quebec in 2007.  We had just learned that employees of Narconon courses offered in some schools in Quebec, teacher and youth with basic principles of Scientology. The agency convened the media this morning to take stock of the file, but already the news of the closure reached David Love and he is very happy. "I have a feeling of accomplishment," he said.

CBC Radio Montreal 

[Apr 17] A health agency in Trois-Rivières will give details about its decision to shut down a Scientology-based rehab centre in Trois-Rivières. CBC has an exclusive interview with the family of a young man in rehab left stranded by the closure. [listen to broadcast]

 

Narconon has no Certification

 lhebdojournal.com ~ (translate) [Apr 17] The Agency for Health and Social Services of the Mauricie / Centre-du-Québec will not provide the certification required by the body Narconon Trois-Rivieres to continue operations.

Is that among the 55 criteria required to receive certification, Narconon would make 46 different kinds of patches, including 26 judged high risk factor.
These criteria concern including security, surveillance, insurance, building, fire safety, employee training, and ethical rules and administrative operation.

"The measures to be made ​​also affect intervention programs. The main problem is the approach used by the center that is not scientifically recognized in Quebec. Movement may include withdrawal cold absorption of vitamins such as niacin and sauna use in the treatment, "says Marc Lacour, director of social services.
"These practices may pose a risk to health and safety of residents. That's why we issued a notice of relocation, "he adds.

Mr. Lacour said that when the directors were notified of the decision of the Agency, they have "reacted with surprise and astonishment. They were expected to pay for improvements, but not to refusal to certify. "

Risk of side effects
Among the reasons for the decision of the Health Agency, it is emphasized that withdrawal of the evaluation was not done with tools scientifically recognized, the fact that there was no systematic assessment of suicide risk , and the problems concerning drugs.
Narconon's Andre Ahern

Narconon advocates an approach called natural and therefore does not want residents to take medications.
"According to experts we consulted, the high intake of niacin can cause side effects, since the center administered nearly 50 times the recommended dose per day. It can cause a metabolic imbalance. In the past, there have been occasions when residents have to travel to the hospital. There are at least four cases and several complaints have been made ​​at the location of the body, "says Lacour.

These complaints involved, among other things, administrative practices, complicating the premature exit of a resident (seizure of money, passport and identification).

Cesssation activities
Since last Friday, Narconon Trois-Rivieres can no longer operate. 34 The center's clients, mostly from U.S. and English Canada, have been relocated, or in another Narconon center in the United States or at home.

Narconon managers have ten working days, from April 13 to submit their comments on the Agency's decision. Afterwards, they will have 60 days to challenge the decision to the Administrative Tribunal of Québec.

The Health Agency is not yet known their intention to that effect.
"Right now, we expect their comments and then we'll see what their intentions are," Mr. Lacour.
Note that Narconon is still considered in the certification process. The chairman of the board of the center, Andre Ahern, would have meant to the Health Agency that he did not intend to change the treatment program.



Thanks to Anonymous, mnql1 and peterstorm for the links/translations [wwp]

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