Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian

Franklin County•Union, MO

About The Position

Under general supervision of the WIC Coordinator, the WIC Nutritionist/RD’s primary responsibility is to ensure the delivery of program services in compliance with state and federal program guidelines. Responsibilities of this position include conducting nutritional assessments, assigning risk factors, tailoring food packages, creating care plans and providing appropriate nutrition and breastfeeding education to all participants.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in dietetics, public health nutrition, human nutrition, nutritional sciences, nutrition and fitness, sports nutrition, restaurant and food service management, foods, family and consumer sciences, human environmental sciences, or home economics; including or supplemented by at least 15 semester hours in foods and nutrition from a 4-year program including at least one (1) course in diet therapy or medical nutrition therapy I & II and one (1) course in community nutrition or nutrition in the life cycle/life cycle nutrition; or
A master's degree in public health nutrition, human nutrition, nutrition education, or dietetics from an accredited college or university; including or supplemented by at least 15 graduate or undergraduate semester hours in foods and nutrition from a 4-year program including at least one (1) course in diet therapy or medical nutrition therapy I & II and one (1) course in community nutrition or nutrition in the life cycle/life cycle nutrition;
Completion of an undergraduate curriculum accredited or approved by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) resulting in a verification statement from a Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics;
Completion of a dietetic internship program accredited or approved by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) resulting in a verification statement from an Internship Program in Nutrition and Dietetics;
Registered Dietitian (RD), Licensed Dietitian (LD) in the state of Missouri (registration or current eligibility for registration by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)); and
Meets educational requirements as listed for nutritionist in USDA Code of Federal Regulations, 7 C.F.R. Part 246.2 under Definitions for Competent Professional Authority; or
Meets qualifications as indicated in USDA’s Nutrition Services Standards, Nutrition Services Staffing section, Standard3 Staff Qualifications, Roles, and Responsibilities, G & H.
Registered Dietitians (RD), Licensed Dietitians (LD) and Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR 4 years college) must maintain an active Missouri license or registration/license from a participating board.
Nutritionists (other than RDs) must complete a minimum of five (5) continuing nutrition education hours and one (1) Breastfeeding hour per year.
Must successfully complete MOWINS and WIC required training courses within six (6) months of employment.
Must maintain CPR and AED certification.
Must have a valid Driver’s License and/or other specialized certifications may be required.
SPECIAL NOTE: All employees are considered First Responders in the Event of a Disaster Response Situation. All employees must report for duty upon request of the Director during a public health emergency.
Knowledge of County policies and procedures.
Knowledge of Federal, State, and County laws, codes, rules, and regulations related to public health AND medical record retention and release.
Knowledge of Principles and practices of nutrition and dietetics, including health maintenance and wellness.
Knowledge of Case management methods, practices, and procedures for assigned client population.
Knowledge of Community resources and public health programs for appropriate referrals.
Knowledge of Principles of record keeping and records management.
Knowledge of Customer service and public relations methods and practices.
Knowledge of Social, cultural and economic problems and their impact on public health nutrition.
Knowledge of adult learning principles, stages of change, and basic counseling methods.
Knowledge of the benefits of breastfeeding and understanding how to support the breastfeeding mother.
Skills in Understanding, interpreting, and applying relevant statutes, ordinances, codes, and regulations.
Skills in Presenting nutritional information to WIC program participants and the public.
Skills in Counseling patients with a variety of health problems.
Skills in Working effectively with others to develop solutions for social services problems.
Skills in Interacting with people of all social, economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
Skills in Operating a personal computer utilizing standard and specialized software.
Skills in Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
Skills in Communicating clearly both verbally and in writing
Skills in planning and organizing work assignments.
Ability to effectively develop educational materials for participant- centered nutrition education and counseling.
Ability to gather, interpret, evaluate and use statistical data.
Basic computer skills and literacy.

Responsibilities

Provides nutrition counseling for qualifying women, infants and children; assesses nutritional needs of WIC participants based on clinical and socioeconomic information; certifies eligibility, and explains eligibility criteria, participant responsibility and WIC policies.
Carries a caseload of individual clients and families; develops an individualized case plan; monitors and follows-up regularly to reassess client status and reinforce personal improvement plans.
Provides program services in compliance with State and Federal regulations and guidelines.
Teaches individual and/or group classes on nutrition, prenatal and breastfeeding education; monitors students and provides technical assistance as needed; maintains program documentation files as required.
Provides community outreach; educates participants on proper nutritional practices; refers individuals to other health professionals and agencies as needed.
Coordinates services with other programs, departments and agencies; conducts presentations and training programs to communicate the WIC programs to other organizations in the community.
Compiles operational statistics; assists with grant program reporting; coordinates communications between WIC programs and other agencies.
Prepares and maintains client records, reports, and other data to meet state laws, WIC program requirements, and quality standards.
Maintains absolute confidentiality of work-related issues, personnel records and County information; complies with the confidentiality standards of the Privacy Act and HIPAA policies and procedures.
Reports possible abuse, neglect, drug use and dangerous activities to the Missouri Division of Family Services; documents information; appears in court as needed.
Issues food checks in accordance with State policies; instructs participants about program regulations and requirements; reports lost or stolen checks.
Works with foster parents and children to review guardianship, custody, and safety plans; verifies notarized letter of custody papers.
Act in WIC certifier role when necessary.
Promotes breastfeeding among program participants, refers high risk participants to peer counselor; issues, collects, and maintains breast pump inventory.
Attends local, state and national continuing education and training sessions as required.
Participates in emergency preparedness exercises.
Performs other duties as assigned.