Scottish Rite RiteCare Program Ribbon Cutting at ISU

The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a concordant organization of the Masonic fraternity, and Joseph Aleaxander, the Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Idaho, oversees the approximate 1,200 Scottish Rite Masons within the state. 

In the early 1950s in Colorado, the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States initiated a program to help children with speech and language disorders. The results obtained from this program led to the establishment of RiteCare Scottish Rite Childhood Language Program (SRCLP) clinics to provide diagnostic evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders, as well as learning disabilities.

Today, there are nearly 180 RiteCare 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 members, these clinics, centers, and programs continue to increase. All of these facilities are dedicated to helping children with speech and language disorders as well as learning disabilities. Children who might have remained educationally behind for a lifetime can now talk, read, and lead productive lives.

The Scottish Rite Foundation of Idaho program donates $15,000 a year to support: a $5,000 Masters level student scholarship here on the ISU campus; a $5,000 Masters level student scholarship at the Meridian campus. These scholarships are named The Theo 'Ted' Bahr Memorial Scottish Rite Scholarships, and also include a $5,000 pediatric client scholarship to help those clients that do not have the ability to pay for their child's treatment sessions. Included in the program is a provision to provide additional pediatric client money if the need arises. The Scottish Rite is very excited about this agreement and looks forward to a long relationship with the ISU Speech and Language Department.

This event held April 17, 2019, was a celebration of all the hard work by members of the ISU Foundation and ISU Speech and Language department. The Scottish Rite in Idaho is pleased to be part of the outstanding work being done here and in Meridian for children with speech and language challenges.