By The Star Staff
The new president of the Child Care and Development Centers Association (ASOCUIDA by its acronym in Spanish), Virmette Maldonado García, celebrated the recent implementation of new rates in the Child Care Program of the Administration for the Care and Comprehensive Development of Children (ACUDEN), which will allow more children in Puerto Rico to access child care services.
Maldonado García emphasized that the change addresses the demands of ASOCUIDA and hundreds of childcare providers on the island, estimating that more than 20,000 children will be able to benefit from the program.
“This is great news for thousands of families who previously didn’t qualify and will now be able to receive this essential support for their children’s development,” she said. “It also represents relief for childcare centers that enroll children from 2 months to 4 years and 8 months old.”
She thanked the island government for addressing ASOCUIDA’s requests.
Beginning April 1, new rates for ACUDEN Child Care Program providers will go into effect, including:
• A 44% increase in the fee for full-time childcare centers.
• A 6% increase for full-time care homes.
In addition, new eligibility guidelines have been approved for beneficiary families. For example, a family of four, which previously did not qualify if its net income exceeded $27,096, will now be eligible with an income of up to $49,590.
“These changes will benefit approximately 450 childcare centers and thousands of families, allowing providers to improve the quality of their services, infrastructure, equipment, technology, and educational materials,” Maldonado García noted. “According to a needs assessment presented in 2024, the adjustments were necessary to strengthen the childcare ecosystem in the face of rising operational costs, including water, electricity, and minimum wage.”
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