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In 2000, the MU Department of Communication Science and Disorders, with the generous support of the Valley of Columbia Scottish Rite, opened the Robert G. Combs Language Preschool. The preschool serves children aged 2 to 5 years with or without speech and language difficulties. MU Communication Science and Disorders seniors and graduate students are clinicians for this preschool under the direct supervision of certified faculty. Given the intense speech and language focus of this program, a very low clinician to student ratio is maintained, approximating 1 clinician for every 2-3 students. The Scottish Rite provides scholarships for children with speech difficulties to attend this preschool.

In 2010, the Scottish Rite Freemasons Valley of Columbia and RiteCare Valley of Columbia made an inaugural gift to the Hannibal Regional Hospital’s speech therapy assistance program to provide scholarship funds for speech therapy services for children 6 years and under who might not otherwise receive treatment they need. The RiteCare Valley of Columbia supports the ongoing partnership with Hannibal Regional Hospital to perpetuate the mission of helping children.

The Valley of Joplin Scottish Rite RiteCare began their philanthropic program in 1987 in parternship with  Children’s Miracle Network. Their mission is to advance the efforts of all language impaired children by bringing them into the world of words and the joy of clearly understood or expressed ideas.  In addition to providing a helping hand to young children who may have a variety of special needs, the RiteCare program provides scholarships for children with speech therapy and hearing aids.

The Kansas City Rite Care Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders began in 1985 and is operated and staffed by Children’s Mercy Hospital with a clinical site within the Kansas City Scottish Rite Temple with the mission to help children with language problems reach their highest potential.

In 2003, Truman State University and the Valley of Columbia Scottish Rite agreed to co-found and support a program to prevent literacy problems in children who are at high risk. Services to children and their families are provided by students and faculty of the Truman State University communication disorders program. The RiteCare Communication Disorders Early Literacy Lab (ELL) serves children at risk for literacy difficulties, primarily from K-grade 4. The Scottish Rite provides funds for furnishings and materials, faculty training, and other program expenses.

In 2001, the St. Joseph Scottish Rite Foundation and UCP of Northwest Missouri joined together to provide speech therapy for children in the community. Many young children have speech and language delays but are unable to pay for therapy. The Scottish Rite provides funding for children who do not qualify for any other assistance.

The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and was founded in 1988 by St. Louis Scottish Rite Masons to serve preschool age children with speech and language disorders. Originally known as the Aphasia Clinic, the name was soon changed to the Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders to more accurately reflect the children served. The Clinic was an independent charitable entity and governed by a 15 member local Board of Directors from 1988-2014. In January 2015, the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic entered into a professional partnership with Maryville University to expand therapy opportunities for children in the Greater St. Louis area. The Clinic continues as a 501(c)(3) organization, now under the umbrella of Maryville University. The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic serves children at seven clinical sites in the Greater St. Louis and surrounding communities. Services include screenings, evaluations, individual and group therapy, audiological evaluations, and parent training. All Clinic services are free to client families.

The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic Outreach

The KidTalk Outreach program serves children at six underserved partner locations in the greater St. Louis region: Jefferson County Health Department (Arnold, MO), Lincoln County Health Department (Troy, MO), Crider Health Services of Franklin County (Union, MO), Scottish Rite Lodge of Perfection (St. Louis City), SouthSide Early Childhood Head Start (St. Louis City), and YWCA-Head Start North County Center (Ferguson, MO).

In 2011, the Scottish Rite Freemasons Valley of Columbia and RiteCare Valley of Columbia made an inaugural gift to the University of Central Missouri Welch-Schmidt Center for Communication Disorders to open the RiteCare Early Language and Literacy Lab for children who might not otherwise receive treatment they need. The Scottish Rite provides funds for furnishings and materials, faculty training, and other program expenses.

Today, there are over 180 RiteCare Scottish Rite Childhood Language Programs with SRCLP clinics, centers, and special programs operating or planned for children and therapists located throughout the United States. Each facility is staffed by speech-language pathologists or other trained personnel. Through the support of Scottish Rite Masons, Southern Masonic Jurisdiction, these clinics, centers, and programs continue to increase.

For over two decades, the Scottish Rite Masons, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, have been national leaders in the effort to help children and their families overcome the painful obstacles of dyslexia. With more than 40 Dyslexia Centers in 13 states, the Children’s Dyslexia Centers tackle the challenge of dyslexia head-on, both by providing free tutoring for children with dyslexia and by training a growing cadre of highly skilled and dedicated tutors.