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Connecticut WIC Program Manual

WIC 100-01 SECTION:

Administration SUBJECT:

Local WIC Agency Staffing

Federal Regulations: §246.2 definition for CPA; § 246.6 (b) (2); §246.7(e); §246.10(b)(2)(iii); FNS Instruction 804—1 and §246.11(b)(7)(ii) Nutrition Services Standards: Standards 1-2C., 1-2D., 1-2E, 1-2F and 2B and 2C POLICY: Staffing Classifications Position Description Program Coordinator Each local agency shall employ one full-time (at a minimum 35 hours per week) Program Coordinator who shall be responsible for the overall operation of the local agency. The State WIC office MUST approve any exceptions to full time position in writing. Program Nutritionist Each local agency shall employ one full-time (at a minimum 35 hours per week) Program Nutritionist who shall be responsible for the nutrition services component of the local agency. Duties MUST include 50% direct nutrition services. The State WIC office MUST approve any exceptions to full time position in writing. Site Nutritionist This classification includes a Nutritionist other than the Program Nutritionist whose duties include 20% administrative duties and 80% direct nutrition services. Nutritionist This classification includes all nutritionists other than the Program Nutritionist and Site Nutritionist paid for in whole or in part by the local agency. Nutrition Aide/Assistant II This classification includes individuals other than nutritionists who have successfully completed the WIC Nutrition Aide/Assistant II paraprofessional training, which allows them to conduct certification of low-risk children in addition to other paraprofessional nutrition services. Nutrition Aide/Assistant This classification includes all individuals, other than nutritionists, who are paid for in whole or in part by the local agency and whose primary responsibility is the provision of paraprofessional nutrition services. Program Assistant This classification includes all clerical and secretarial personnel paid for in whole or in part by the local agency. Breastfeeding Peer Counselor This classification includes mothers who are breastfeeding or have breastfeed for at least 6 months or longer recruited and hired from local WIC‘s target population of low-income, child bearing age whom share various characteristics, such as language, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Peer Counselors are required to successfully complete USDA basic breastfeeding training to provide mother to mother support. Peer counselors do

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not have professional training in health, nutrition or clinical management of breastfeeding. They yield to a Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE) (currently local WIC breastfeeding coordinator/ WIC nutritionist) as needed. The local agency shall notify the State WIC office when a vacancy occurs. Staffing Qualifications Program Coordinator *The candidate MUST also meet the requirements of a Nutritionist if the caseload of an agency is less than 2,600 participants. This requirement is waived where the Program Coordinator is less than full-time. A Master’s degree from an institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body in public health, health administration, administration, business administration, or health sciences; a bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body; preferably with courses in the administrative sciences AND one year of full-time employment planning or administering a program, including supervising personnel; OR a combination of the above experience to include six years of training. A bachelor’s degree will count for four years and a master’s degree an additional year. Non-supervisory professional level experience in a WIC agency may count for up to two years. *Program Coordinator’s hired before October 1, 1999 are exempt from meeting these qualifications and shall remain subject to the qualifications in effect at the time they were hired. Program Nutritionist A Master’s degree from an institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body in nutritional sciences, community nutrition, clinical nutrition, dietetics, public health nutrition, home economics with a major in foods and nutrition and one year of responsible experience in nutrition in a health agency or health care facility, OR a bachelor’s degree from a four-year institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body with a major in foods and nutrition, community nutrition, nutrition education, or nutritional sciences and two years of responsible experience in nutrition in a health agency or health care facility. Successful completion of a Commission on Accreditation/Approval of Dietetics Education (CAADE) accredited/approved supervised practice program (e.g., a coordinated program, dietetic internship or approved pre-professional practice/AP4 program) or a master’s degree in nutrition education can qualify for one year of work experience. Persons with a master’s degree in nutrition who do not have a bachelor’s degree in foods and nutrition must have successfully completed the equivalent subject matter at the graduate level to compensate for any courses not completed at the undergraduate level. *Program Nutritionist’s hired before October 1, 1999 are exempt from meeting these qualifications and shall remain subject to the qualifications in effect at the time they were hired. Site Nutritionist A Master’s degree from an institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body in nutritional sciences, community nutrition, clinical nutrition, dietetics, public health nutrition, home

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economics with a major in foods and nutrition and one year of responsible experience in nutrition in a health agency or health care facility, OR a bachelor’s degree from a four-year institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body with a major in foods and nutrition, community nutrition, nutrition education, or nutritional sciences and two years of responsible experience in nutrition in a health agency or health care facility. Successful completion of a Commission on Accreditation/Approval of Dietetics Education (CAADE) accredited/approved supervised practice program (e.g., a coordinated program, dietetic internship or approved pre-professional practice/AP4 program) or a master’s degree in nutrition education can qualify for one year of work experience. Persons with a master’s degree in nutrition who do not have a bachelor’s degree in foods and nutrition must have successfully completed the equivalent subject matter at the graduate level to compensate for any courses not completed at the undergraduate level. *Site Nutritionist’s hired before October 1, 1999 are exempt from meeting these qualifications and shall remain subject to the qualifications in effect at the time they were hired Nutritionist A bachelor’s degree from a four year institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body with a major in foods and nutrition, community nutrition, nutrition education, or nutritional sciences. Job Descriptions for all positions paid for in whole or in part by the local agency shall be included in the local program plan. Job descriptions shall include but not be limited to the position qualifications and a description of the work performed. For sample job descriptions, see 100-01 Sample Local Agency Job Descriptions. Staffing Pattern Each local agency shall strive to maintain an adequate staff level to provide quality nutrition services. Staffing should be periodically assessed to ensure effective delivery of nutrition services across the service area. Local agencies shall request prior written approval from the State program for all proposed staffing changes. • Prior to modifying the staffing pattern, submit justification and request for approval to the State WIC Director. • Keep a copy of the request and the written state decision as part of the official WIC Agency record. Acting Capacity The local agency shall appoint an agency staff member to serve temporarily in an acting capacity as Program Coordinator, Program Nutritionist, or Site Nutritionist or if either position is vacated for four week or more. The local agency shall notify the State program in writing of all such appointments expected to last four weeks or more and the qualifications of the appointee. Individuals not meeting

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the qualifications for the position may not serve in the acting capacity for more than two calendar months unless an extension is requested in writing by the local agency and approved in writing by the State program.