2009 Kids Count Data Book Finds that Child Well-Being in Puerto Rico is at Greater Risk than in the Mainland U.S.

NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, joined the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) in announcing the release of the 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book. Now in its twentieth year, the book provides new data on the condition of children in the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Of particular concern, the data show that children in Puerto Rico face higher levels of risk than children in the mainland U.S. for low birth weight and poverty. Moreover, they are more likely to fail nine out of ten key indicators of child well-being.

“By documenting the status of Puerto Rico’s children, the 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book provides a crucial tool for improving child well-being on the island,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “This year, the Data Book also includes recommendations for how these data can be collected more effectively. Better data can lead to stronger policies and programs focused on improving poverty rates, birth weight, and child well-being in Puerto Rico.”

The Data Book essay, “Counting What Counts,” analyzes factors affecting data collection about children’s well-being and offers solutions to these and other issues that may limit progress in public programs, community efforts, and government actions aimed at improving children’s lives in the future.

Key findings from the report include:

* In 2007, there were an estimated one million children on the island of Puerto Rico. This represents a larger child population than that of about half of the states of the U.S.
* On nine out of the ten key measures for child well-being, these children face higher levels of risk overall than the average U.S. child.
* The child poverty rate for Puerto Rico (55%) is more than three times the level in the U.S. as a whole (18%).
* Babies born in Puerto Rico are far more likely to be of low birth weight (13%) and born to teen mothers (60 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19) than in the U.S. overall (8.3% and 42 per 1,000, respectively).
* The death rate among children ages one to 14 in Puerto Rico (12 per 100,000) is lower than the national rate.

It should be noted that this year the KIDS COUNT Data Book is complemented by the online Data Center (datacenter.kidscount.org), which gives better and faster access to updated information on the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. On the website, users can find customizable maps, trend lines and charts, geographic profiles, rankings of states and cities, and much more.

NCLR has housed the KIDS COUNT – Puerto Rico project for the last seven years and has contributed to reducing the information gap by publishing several reports, providing information free of charge through an online database, and engaging in multiple initiatives regarding children on the island.

“Data collection that accurately measures the health, safety, and living standards of children is the backbone to any effort that is going to make a difference in improving children’s well-being. KIDS COUNT is a valuable tool for policymakers, social service providers, and many others who work on behalf of youth in Puerto Rico and the U.S.,” concluded Murguía.

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