Harold's Journal
Editorial Opinion By RWL - 24 May 1990

New Law Will Help...

Thanks to your enduring help, the Oklahoma State Legislature has passed (91 to 0 in the House and similar in the Senate), and Governor Henry Bellmon has signed a law which should insure that Oklahoma will certify only legitimate, medically safe drug and alcohol treatment facilities for operation in our state. Practitioners of Body Thetan exorcism and other hocus pocus won't cut it.

The law requires that drug abuse treatment providers be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, or be in compliance with approved medical and professional standards as determined by the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board of the State of Oklahoma.

It requires a pre-certification review of any new applications that appear to use nontraditional methods of treatment, and allows the certification board to select an independent, recognized authority in Oklahoma to review such programs and to make recommendations to the board as to the validity of the proposed program.

It also mandates that all claims made by such organizations, including but not limited to patient count and success rates, must be documented and verifiable by the Board.

Failure to comply with these provisions of Oklahoma Law will result in the withholding or withdrawal of Certification in the State. Operation without Certification is a misdemeanor. Punishable, my lawyer says, by up to a year in jail and $1,000 fine. Per day.

Further, without State Certification, Narconon-Chilocco will not be an eligible facility for use by persons with insurance coverage. Nor will it be eligible to apply for state or federal programs that pay for treatments.

Narconon's Certificate of Need - which foolishly allowed them to set up shop at Chilocco in the first place - expires June 30, 1990. Narconon is supposed to apply for state licensing and certification before then. As of Monday, May 21, they have not done so.

The State Alcohol and Substance Abuse Department requires that a provider apply for a "temporary certification" before they begin delivering treatment. Once they are in operation, they must apply for "permanent" or 12 Month Renewable Certification. In order to apply for either, the provider must have a valid Certificate of Need..

Two things come to mind:

First, if the Great Xenu Zappers intend to become Certified in the State of Oklahoma, they must apply before June 30, or their Certificate of Need goes Ka-Poofy.

Second, they haven't even applied for their temporary certification yet, but they're already bragging all over California about how many people have gone through their treatment program at Chilocco. The Attorney General has copies of their brochures telling all about it. He probably had a Rock Slam when he found out.

Of course, there is always the possibility that Scientology has no intention of complying with state law. Which comes as no surprise, either. Never before has Scientology spent anywhere near this much money on a Narconon unit. Usually, the big money is used for major headquarters establishments like Clearwater, FL., or St. Hill in Sussex, England. Chilocco is larger, more isolated, and much more insulated from government scrutiny than any of their other establishments. Jumpin' BTs, that's a spooky thought...

But Narconon continues to blunder forward at Chilocco, as always, ignoring the real issues and planning their grand opening for June 29. They're selling $2,000.00 apiece tickets to this public relations gimmick, which will feature a recognition ceremony for dupes who have donated money to the project. (Scientology never spends its own money), a reception with "opinion leaders, celebrities, politicians and Native American leaders from around the United States," tours, an Indian Pow Wow, and Western barbeque. It's all designed, the flyer says, to "help establish overwhelming public popularity for LRH."

Overwhelming the public with phony publicity stunts is a Scientology hallmark. It is interesting to take note of the following Church of Scientology Board Policy Letter of 12 January 1973, Reissued 29 June 1975, entitled "The Safe Point" (Paraphrased, of course, to avoid copyright infringement):

Public Relations actions to be taken in a new location can proceed so far as to create a whole new history and future for the planned organization. The Organization can be made to appear long-lived, entrenched, permanent, dependable, competent, prolific, and expanding all before it even gets started.

Public Relations people plant in advance everything that is associated with the new organization except the product it is to produce. Once public relations in a new area is under control, the new organization can start up without any waves and will be considered totally ordinary and satisfactory.

In other words, mock it up. Which is what they did, and is why they should never be given any status as a legitimate organization in our state. This new state law will go far towards accomplishing that end. Our State government is listening to us. They might like to receive a thank-you note for sticking their political necks out for us.

By the way, tickets to the big bash are limited to the first thousand sold, but I wouldn't get in any hurry to buy one. I don't think they are refundable.

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