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NMI has 34 licensed child care centers
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Posted on Jul 12 2011
The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs reports that there are 34 licensed child care centers in the Commonwealth, majority of which are eligible to receive funding support from the federal Child Care Development Funds.
DCCA Secretary Melvin Faisao said the total is based on the agency’s May 2011 records. He disclosed that 33 of these licensed centers are on Saipan while only one is on Rota.
Department records also show that DCCA has a total of 10 relative care providers, of which seven are on Saipan, two are on Tinian; and one is on Rota.
Of the 34 licensed child care centers, only 22 are under the CCDF program, serving an estimated 480 children, Faisao said.
Funding remains a major challenge for the child care program in the Commonwealth.
Faisao disclosed that for the next three fiscal years, the federal program is proposed to receive only $1.7 million for operation—the same amount it got in fiscal year 2008.
The Child Care Development Fund is used to subsidize care services for eligible families. Parents may select a child care provider that satisfies all federal and local requirements, including basic health and safety standards. These requirements also address prevention and control of infectious diseases, including immunizations; building and physical premises safety, and minimum health and safety training.
Based on the program’s federal guidelines, CNMI must use 8 percent of the CCDF to also improve the quality of activities of child care centers such as resource and referral counseling.
