Narconon trying to move into Ontario

[SocialTransparency]

And I'm happily wrong! They busted Addiction Canada for having people claiming to be medical doctors.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/wild-west-of-addiction-treatment

I think I've found Narconon's next claimed certification:

The website claims the organization is “fully accredited” and has been recognized with a World Accreditation Addiction Treatment Mark of Excellence (WAATME) seal.

WAATME described itself last fall as a new accrediting organization and a subsidiary of Old West Healthcare Partners in Wyoming. Its website states addiction treatment providers can receive its “distinguished” seal of approval in “THREE EASY STEPS:” declare they are not funded or influenced by pharmaceutical companies, complete a 1.5-hour online course, and pay a fee.

WAATME WORRY?

For $400.00 US dollars you can easily get accredited by WAATME.Looks as though they or whomever is running this leans somewhat towards non pharmacological treatment or at the very least not being influenced by pharmaceutical companies. Weird stuff.

I can find nothing on Old West Healthcare Partners. Anybody know what the deal is with this organization?

[mefree]

Here's the rigorous criteria for WAATME. I would not characterize it as an accreditation. It's more like a certification that providers are not affiliated or influenced by pharma.

GET MY ACCREDITATION
Accreditation may be achieved in any order

1. Sign & Send a WAATME evidentiary declaration confirming as an Addiction Treatment Provider you are NOT funded, owned or influenced by a pharmaceutical corporation

Download WAATME Declaration for U.S.

Download WAATME Declaration outside the U.S.

SUBMIT TO: forms@waatme.com

2. Complete WAATME one and a half hour CEU accreditation course online

3. Pay annual dues of less than a cup of coffee per day based on your tier category

Three Easy Steps You Eliminate:

    1. No on-site visits
    2. No costly accreditation fees or heavy fines
    3. No waiting up to one year for approval

An entire 1.5 hours of continuing education! I can't find anything on Old West Healthcare Partners, either. Could this be an accreditation scam?

[DeathHamster]

An entire 1.5 hours of continuing education! I can't find anything on Old West Healthcare Partners, either. Could this be an accreditation scam?

It seems pretty cheesy on the face of it, plus there's no "Old West Healthcare Partners" registered in Wyoming.

https://wyobiz.wy.gov/business/filingsearch.aspx

Here's their LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/waatme-org---world-accreditation-addiction-treatment-mark-of-excellence-%C2%A9

Founded: 2014, ah yes, a long established reputable firm...

[ethercat]

Here's the rigorous criteria for WAATME. I would not characterize it as an accreditation. It's more like a certification that providers are not affiliated or influenced by pharma.

GET MY ACCREDITATION
Accreditation may be achieved in any order

1. Sign & Send a WAATME evidentiary declaration confirming as an Addiction Treatment Provider you are NOT funded, owned or influenced by a pharmaceutical corporation

Download WAATME Declaration for U.S.

Download WAATME Declaration outside the U.S.

SUBMIT TO: forms@waatme.com

2. Complete WAATME one and a half hour CEU accreditation course online

3. Pay annual dues of less than a cup of coffee per day based on your tier category

Three Easy Steps You Eliminate:

    1. No on-site visits
    2. No costly accreditation fees or heavy fines
    3. No waiting up to one year for approval

An entire 1.5 hours of continuing education! I can't find anything on Old West Healthcare Partners, either. Could this be an accreditation scam?

Sounds scientological to me.   

[DeathHamster]

Sounds scientological to me.   

As I've learned by checking Addiction Canada for any trace of Narconon and failing, CoS doesn't have a monopoly on scam.

Addiction Canada might even be faking that accreditation -- just like their "doctors".

[BigBeard]

The only thing I get searching for "World Accreditation Addiction Treatment Mark of Excellence" or "Old West Healthcare Partners" is the WAATME web page and stories on the scam in Canada, and nothing in the Wyoming business search. A lot of these woo merchants register their businesses in Nevada, but that sight is down for maint right now, so I'll check again later.

Edit to add: According to their 'LinkedIn' page, WAATME's "headquarters" is located at 220 W. Pearl St, Jackson WY 83001.
A quick check on that address shows it is one of two US Post Office locations for Jackson. Apparently most of the businesses in Jackson use PO boxes at that facility, but unlike WAATME, they list the box they use.

Also found a list of active Business Licenses for Jackson at http://townofjackson.com/files/2714/2324/0857/business_license_web_page-Jan_2015.pdf and there's nothing for WAATME or Old West Healthcare Partners.

[BigBeard]

Okay, checked the business listings for Wyoming, Nevada, and California, and can't find anything for WAATME or Old West Healthcare Partners except the info on the WAATME related pages and the articales on the scam in Canada.

I also did a quick check in the USPTO TESS system, and neither "WAATME", nor "World Association of Addiction Treatment Mark of Excellence" come up as registered trademarks.

[SocialTransparency]

Okay, checked the business listings for Wyoming, Nevada, and California, and can't find anything for WAATME or Old West Healthcare Partners except the info on the WAATME related pages and the articales on the scam in Canada.

I also did a quick check in the USPTO TESS system, and neither "WAATME", nor "World Association of Addiction Treatment Mark of Excellence" come up as registered trademarks.

I dare say this is possibly a scam or illegal in some manner.

[BigBeard]

Ya think? I tried Wyoming's business search again just using the word 'Accreditation', and everything that came up was related to schools or education. Using 'Addiction' only got two started in 2014, one of which is 'INACTIVE'. The other appears to be an actual rehab, not an accreditation mill.

[BigBeard]

Just for jollies I clicked the "Get My Accreditation" link on the WAATME site an find you can do it in 3 easy steps:

1. Do the declaration you are not funded, owned, or influenced by a pharma compnay.
2. Take the "WAATME" on line course. Clickining this link takes you to https://ed4direct.ed4online.com/professional-development-course/overprescribing-substance-abuse-and-elder-care which doesn't appear to have anything to do with WAATME.
3. Pay the dues.

After reading through their stuff several times, it looks like all the WAATME seal means is you're not involved with "Big Pharma". In spite of the impressive sounding name, it doesn't appear to have anything to do with whether you actually know what you're doing as far as being a rehab facility. Although it will probably impress the rubes, and insurance companies according to their web site.

[mefree]

After reading through their stuff several times, it looks like all the WAATME seal means is you're not involved with "Big Pharma". In spite of the impressive sounding name, it doesn't appear to have anything to do with whether you actually know what you're doing as far as being a rehab facility. Although it will probably impress the rubes, and insurance companies according to their web site.

Exactly. The accreditation is meaningless. It's just something to slap on a website to appear legit.

[Mary_McConnell]

While waiting for the OMB, I was filling in some blanks like corporate info. [..]
Category:Narconon Ontario (I'll probably rename that to Narconon Canada.

I figured I would update this thread, as it's been nearly a month since the OMB denied Social Betterment Properties International's appeal to get a variance on its Milton, Ontario property so a Narconon 'group home' could  be operated there.  Readers can find that decision on your site at this link.

Ontario Municipal Board  CASE NO(S).: PL141325    ISSUE DATE: June 2, 2015
DECISION DELIVERED BY SUSAN de AVELLAR SCHILLER, VICE-CHAIR  AND ORDER OF
THE BOARD
http://umbraxenu.no-ip.biz/mediawiki/images/4/4a/Pl141325-jun-02-2015.pdf 

It is well worth a read. The Vice Chair pretty much decimated their application and it's reasoning. Its a terrific example of the church getting busted for believing it is above the law and making up stuff as it goes along, thinking that is all they have to do to get what they want.   Point by point their arguments are shut down
 
Here are more articles and information about the decision and what was going on that lead up to it.

Media Release: Scientology’s appeal case to open Narconon in Ontario dismissed ( read link for details )

http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=16230

Town of Milton’s denial of scientology-based facility upheld by OMB
Milton Canadian Champion/June 10, 2015  By Rachael Williams

A recent appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) to establish a Scientology-based drug and rehabilitation facility on Milburough Line has been denied. [..]

http://culteducation.com/group/1284-scientology/28627-town-of-milton-s-denial-of-scientology-based-facility-upheld-by-omb.html

OMB website status and decision: E-Status Case Details
Property Address    Case Description    Status    Case Number
7651 Milburough Line   7651 Milburough Line, rehab centre   Open   PL141325

Hearing and Decision Information
Hearing Type    Start Date    Hearing Status    Start Time    Hearing Location    Decision Type    Decision Number
Hearing   30 Mar 2015      10:00 AM   Municipal Building (Milton), Council Chambers, 150 Mary Street Milton ON L9T 6Z5   Decision   20150002(PDF, WORD)
https://www.omb.gov.on.ca/ecs/CaseDetail.aspx?n=PL141325

Gotta love these community people! The Town of Milton in Ontario, Canada decided to stand it's ground and fight to defend it's decision when SBPI appealed:

The Corporation of the TOWN OF MILTON
Report To: Committee of the Whole
From: Barbara Koopmans, Director of Planning and Development
Date: January 26, 2015
Report No: PD-001-15
Subject:
Appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board of Decisions of the Committee of Adjustment and Consent (Files: A1-14/035/M & A1-14/036//M – Social Betterment Properties International)

THAT Milton Council authorize legal counsel and Town staff to attend the Ontario Municipal Board hearing to
defend the decision of the Town of Milton Committee of Adjustment and Consent with respect to Minor Variance Applications A1-14/035/M & A1-14/036/M for the property known municipally as 7651 Milburough Line (Social Betterment Properties International)
https://www.milton.ca/MeetingDocuments/Council/agendas2015/rpts2015/PD-001-15%20Appeal%20to%20OMB%20Denial%20Narcanon.pdf

SBPI and Narconon must hate how this works! :
About the Committee of Adjustment and Consent

The Committee of Adjustment and Consent (COA) is composed of five Milton residents who are appointed by Council for a four-year term. The Committee generally meets once each month to hear applications. These meetings are open to the public and anyone may attend to speak to the Committee about a particular application. The Committee members listen to submissions, discuss any issues or concerns and make a decision. In some cases, the Committee's approval comes with attached conditions.

The Committee is authorized by the Planning Act to consider applications for:

    Minor variances from the provisions of the Zoning By-law
    Extensions, enlargements or variations of existing, legal non-conforming uses
    Land division (separating a new lot, adding land to an existing lot). Note: In Halton Region, undisputed
    consents for land division can be approved by the Planning Director rather than the COA. [..]

http://www.milton.ca/en/build/committeeofadjustment.asp#CommitteeInfo


Kudos to the Town of Milton and the OMB for doing what is right

[DeathHamster]

Not a Narconon, but many of the exact same problems as I've posted up thread, plus they moved into the former CLO Canada location:

https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2016/05/04/addiction-clinic-owner-charged-with-61-million-fraud.html

Addiction clinic owner charged with $6.1 million fraud

John Haines, CEO and owner of Addiction Canada is facing five charges.

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/05/23/ex-patients-talk-about-their-time-at-addiction-canada-centres.html

Ex-patients talk about their time at Addiction Canada centres

Reviews are mixed for detox chain whose owner faces fraud, trafficking and money-laundering charges after OPP probe.

If a Narconon did open in Ontario, I think law enforcement would know how to handle them.

[mefree]

If a Narconon did open in Ontario, I think law enforcement would know how to handle them.

Good! It's a different situation in the U.S. for the most part. Some state agencies are better funded and resourced than others. Rehab always seems to get the short end of the stick.

[Mary_McConnell]

I'm sorry I missed this. Good work, DeathHamster!

I hope Haines gets the point that karma can be a big bi*ch.

It's scary on the fake credentials and the regs being to weak to enforce, but maybe others contemplating a scam like this in Canada will think twice after the what happened with Haines.