ISU Speech and Language clinics provide free treatment for children, thanks to funds from Scottish Rite Foundation

MERIDIAN--Over the last two years, over $12,000 in scholarships from the Scottish Rite Foundation have helped supplement the costs of speech language pathology treatment for underserved children who visit Idaho State Universy's Speech and Language clincs.

Support includes the costs of treatment for children whose families have limited income to pay for their care at clinics in Meridian and Pocatello.

ISU clinical faculty and graduate students studying in the speech language pathology program provide evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders, as well as learning disabilities for children who are part of the RiteCare Scottish Rite Childhood Language Program.

In addition to providing speech language treatment, the foundation also provides funds for ISU students entering the SLP program. Ryan Gerulf, director of development for the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences, says, “The Scottish Rite's earliest scholarship contributions date back to 1986. In its present form, scholarships were given starting at the end of 2013, with scholarships being increased from one student per year to two students per year in 2018. Two ISU SLP students now receive the Theo 'Ted' Bahr Memorial $5,000 scholarships each year due to their incredible generosity.” 

The 2019 ISU scholarship recipients were Rebecca Jones and Stephanie Hellewell Robinson. One student attends the Pocatello campus and one student attends the Meridian campus and both treat pediatric patients in the clinics. 

On Wednesday, April 17, representatives from the Scottish Rite Foundation and ISU invite patients and community members to join them in a ribbon cutting and open house in Pocatelloto to celebrate their partnership, and to learn more about the two organizations. Following the ribbon cutting at 3p.m., the Pocatello clinic will be open for guided tours and light refreshments. 

The ISU Speech and Language Clinic is located at 650 Memorial Drive in Pocatello and the Meridian clinic is at 1311 E. Central Drive in Meridian. Payment is based on a sliding fee scale. 

Both provide evaluation and treatment for adults and children in a multitude of areas:

• Articulation
• Receptive and Expressive Language
• Voice
• Fluency/Stuttering
• Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC)
• Pragmatic (social skills)
• Accent Reduction Communication difficulties following stroke or traumatic brain injuries

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