1. The San Francisco & Burlingame Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center serves San Francisco Bay Area children between the ages of three and twelve years of age. These clients generally have a significant speech, language, or reading disorder and cannot obtain therapeutic services from other sources. In order to qualify for services, children must fall within average to above-average intelligence and exhibit typical age-appropriate social behavior. Therefore, in keeping with statewide California Scottish Rite Foundation Clinic Guidelines, we are unable to accept children who have a diagnosis of mental retardation, deafness or autism.
2. Children will be admitted for therapy for up to 18 months. Therapy may be extended for an additional 6 months (to a maximum of 2 years) at the discretion of the therapist and the Center Director.
3. Children will not be enrolled if they are receiving individual therapy, at school or elsewhere, more than once a week for at least 40 minutes per session. If this condition applies when the child reaches the top of the waiting list, the child’s name will be placed on our inactive list.
- If a child who is already enrolled at this clinic begins to receive services as described above, the child will be discharged from therapy and placed on the inactive list.
- It is the parent’s responsibility to contact us when their child’s status changes while enrolled at this center.
4. Children with questionable cognitive skills will be required to present evidence of at least low-average non-verbal intelligence. This may be in the form of a developmental evaluation from a psychologist, the public schools, or an appropriate medical facility. The evaluation must include at least one quantitative, standardized measure of non-verbal intelligence.
5. If a child receives a diagnosis of mental retardation, deafness or autism after enrollment at the Scottish Rite Center, therapy will be discontinued.
6. Children with behavior issues that compromise the effectiveness of therapy will not be accepted for therapy (or will be discharged) until such behaviors are modified. Therapy will begin (or resume) at the discretion of the therapist and the Center Director.
7. Whenever there is a question about the appropriateness of therapy, the child’s readiness for therapy, or the prognosis for success, the child will be enrolled for a four-week trial period. If significant progress is made during that period, therapy will be continued, as deemed appropriate by both the therapist and the Center Director.
8. Regular and prompt attendance is essential for a child to receive maximum benefit from therapy. If a child is to be absent from a session, the parent must call the center office in advance (24 hours preferred). The missed session will be considered a “no show” rather than “cancelled” when this guideline is not followed. When two “no shows” are accrued the child will be dropped from therapy.
9. If parents have questions or concerns, they should call the center and set a time to meet with the therapist outside therapy hours.
10. Therapists at the San Francisco & Burlingame Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center are independent contractors. As such, they set their own schedules, determine client numbers and group size, and develop appropriate therapies. Availability of therapy can be affected by their chosen work schedules.