EUFAULA — Narconon Arrowhead, the drug rehabilitation and international training center formerly known as Narconon Chilocco Center near Newkirk, has relocated to Lake Eufaula. The center, considered the with a ribbon cutting and barbecue. The relocation was necessary because of expansion. Narconon now has centers in 29 countries. Its mission is "to eradicate the problem of drug and alcohol abuse internationally through effective rehabilitation and education.' Narconon uses an approach developed by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. The Eufaula center, ...

A controversial drug and alcohol abuse center in north-central Oklahoma achieved a big victory Friday in its two-year battle for state approval. Less than a year after calling Narconon Chilocco New Life Center's treatment program unsafe and experimental, the Oklahoma Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services voted unanimously Friday to exempt the facility from a state requirement to be certified. The decision came after Narconon showed it had gained approval from a private organization, the Commission for Accreditation of ...

Efforts to license a Kay County substance abuse center operating without state approval were brought to a halt Thursday. The State Mental Health Board, scheduled to act Thursday on certifying the Narconon Chilocco New Life Center, found itself crippled by a court ruling. The ruling blocked the board from using material prepared by Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services staff on the 75-bed facility. Mental health department officials said it was the first time a court tossed out a ...

As an employee of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health, Leroy Bridges "actively lobbied" his colleagues in support of Narconon International's proposed drug treatment center near Newkirk, a memo states. Meanwhile, Bridges had ties to a consulting firm hired by Narconon International to help that controversial drug treatment organization in its application for a certificate of need from the Oklahoma Health Planning Commission. Bridges denies any wrongdoing, but his activities are being probed by federal investigators. Records on file in the ...

According to a story by Michael McNutt in the August 25th edition of The Daily Oklahoman, an alleged Scientology group operating as Narconon near Newkirk has hired a private investigator to find the extent of illegal drug use in Kay County and the identity of those opposing "effective drug rehabilitation programs." Actually, the private investigator was hired over a month ago. Newkirk Mayor Garry Bilger says that he was visited by Woody Bastemeyer, owner of Western Investigating, 4423 N. Greenvale Circle, ...

NEWKIRK - Renovations have begun on buildings at nearby Chilocco Indian School, according to Simon Hogarth, a representative of the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) which owns Narconon, the proposed drug rehabilitation center to be located on the grounds. The press release issued Monday by Hogarth said that Narconon has obtained a Certificate of Need from the Oklahoma State Planning Commission to establish a 75-bed facility at Chilocco for drug and alcohol abusers. The center is currently employing 25 ...