Nutrition Educator 2

State of Louisiana•Shreveport, LA

16h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Louisiana Department of Health's mission is to protect and promote health and to ensure access to medical, preventive, and rehabilitative services for all residents of the State of Louisiana. This position supports Parish Health Unit and Mobile WIC operations by providing nutrition education and promoting healthy lifestyles for women, infants, and children through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This role involves routine statewide duties, including fieldwork, inspections, investigations, or direct services that extend beyond the employee’s domicile parish, requiring frequent travel.

Requirements

One year of experience in nutritional education or counseling, food service, or administrative services; OR Six semester hours in food and/or nutrition services; OR One year of vocational or technical school training in a dietetic assistant curriculum.
Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience.

Responsibilities

Provides direct general nutrition education and outreach for pregnant women, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants, and children in the WIC program either on an individual basis or in a group.
Provides nutrition education to WIC participants and caregivers on age-appropriate nutrition, feeding practices, breastfeeding benefits, healthy lifestyles, and proper formula preparation, food safety, sanitation, and food storage.
Plans and conducts nutrition education lessons, demonstrations, taste testings, and cooking classes focused on WIC-approved foods and nutrients while documenting services in the LAWIN Management Information System.
Educates participants on WIC program policies, participant rights and responsibilities, approved foods, and the proper use of WIC benefits during shopping.
Assists with medical data collection and maintains accurate participant and nutrition education records to support WIC program operations.
Supports outreach and community engagement efforts by maintaining nutrition education materials, distributing promotional resources, preparing activity reports, and referring participants to community health and social service programs as needed.
Performs anthropometric measurements of WIC participants accurately and in compliance with all applicable policies and protocols.
Assists with general WIC program administration as needed.
Collects blood samples from WIC participants to test hemoglobin values in compliance with WIC policies and procedures.
Schedules participant appointments, follows up on missed appointments, and assists with maintaining continuity of WIC services through client transfer coordination.
During a disaster situation, must report, as assigned to a Medical Needs Shelter (MNS) or to the Health Unit. When assigned to the MNS, the incumbent is to report to the designated shelter. Performs duties assigned by the appropriate Incident Command Staff (ICS).