The California Scottish Rite Foundation is committed to supporting and assisting children in California by offering programs focused on childhood speech-language, literacy, and education, fostering a lifetime of improved communication and confidence. The RiteCare Childhood Language Centers, a program of the California Scottish Rite Foundation offers best-in-class, personalized services tailored to the needs of developing children and their families. Thanks to donor support and granting organizations the Speech-Language Pathologists at the RiteCare Childhood Language Centers empower children to achieve greater independence, decrease frustrations, and pave the way for academic success, all at no cost to the families.
The foundation's mission is to work alongside families like yours, empowering you to give your child's future a voice and the opportunities they deserve through access to individualized therapies and evaluations. In this article, we will explore how you can begin a transformative journey with the California Scottish Rite Foundation, having already taken the courageous first step of recognizing potential signs that extra support for your child may be needed.
The RiteCare Childhood Language Centers
Each year the RiteCare Childhood Language Centers of California provide services to over 2,300 children with speech, language, and literacy disorders. The RiteCare Childhood Language Program Centers provide diagnostic evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders, as well as learning disabilities. Equally important, all services are available regardless of race, creed, or the family’s inability to pay. There are 19 RiteCare Childhood Language Center locations across the state of California, making it possible to find care near you.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with speech-language disorders as well as developmental milestones to recognize your child and could benefit from services provided by one of the RiteCare Childhood Language Centers.
Understanding Language Disorders
Children who have a speech-language -disorder have trouble understanding and/or communicating language. Speech is the sound produced and language is a measure of comprehension. There are 2 kinds of language disorders – receptive and expressive. Children often have both at the same time. A child with receptive language disorder has trouble understanding words they hear and read. A child with an expressive language disorder means they have difficulty getting their meaning across through speech, writing, or even gestures. Some children have a language disorder even though they produce sounds and have clear speech. 1 in 10 children have a diagnosed speech-language disorder. Evidence implies that undiagnosed, untreated childhood language disorders put children at a higher risk of social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems in adulthood.
We recommend visiting these resources for more information:
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association publishes guidelines for speech and language skills that the average child can achieve by the time they reach a certain age. Every child is different. However, you can use these guidelines to determine if your child might benefit from a speech-language evaluation.
How You Can Get Started
Making the decision to seek help for a child who may be facing developmental, or speech-language challenges can be intimidating, but the California Scottish Rite Foundation is here to guide you every step of the way. The California Scottish Rite Foundation has RiteCare Childhood Language Centers conveniently located across the state of California, they can be found in the following cities and service their surrounding areas:
Advise For Contacting Your Local RiteCare Childhood Language Center
Parents know their children best. If you are concerned about your child's communication in any way, give your local RiteCare Childhood Language Center a call or email at info@ritecare.org. Together you can assess the needs of your child and how they might be able to help. The caring staff are ready to listen and guide you through the next steps and there is no charge.
Take A Deeper Look into the Work of The RiteCare Childhood Language Centers
As you continue to explore if one of the RiteCare Childhood Language Centers programs is the right fit for you and your child, we invite you to explore our impactful and insightful materials that provide a deeper look.
In Conclusion,
No matter where you are in California, the California Scottish Rite Foundation's RiteCare Childhood Language Centers are here to support your child's journey. With convenient locations across the state and caring staff ready to listen to and guide you, do not hesitate to reach out and start your child's journey. We encourage you to explore our resources and contact us with any questions to determine if this is the right fit for your family. Together, we can unlock your child's potential and give their future a voice.