GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM PROCEDURES MANUAL NS Staff Eligible to Provide Nutrition Education Policy No. NS-200.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

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Policy Nutrition education contacts shall be provided by a Competent Professional Authority (CPA), Nutrition Assistants (NA), or an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

Purpose To provide accurate and appropriate nutrition education and assessment to WIC participants. Procedures I. Local Agencies: A. Shall ensure CPAs provide nutrition education as allowed within their professional scope of practice. B. May allow Nutrition Assistants (NAs) to provide low-risk secondary nutrition education contacts for topics they have been trained on. C. May allow International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) to provide low-risk secondary breastfeeding nutrition education contacts. D. Shall encourage IBCLC CPA’s as the preferred provider, to provide high risk education when the only risk leading to high-risk status is a breastfeeding risk (risk codes 602 and 603). E. Must ensure that all non-credentialed (not licensed as a dietitian) CPAs have oversight and on-going monitoring by a Licensed Dietitian at the local or district level. F. Shall deem Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) Licensed Dietitian (LD) and Nutritionists as the preferred provider for high risk secondary nutrition education.

Authority

7 CFR § 246.11(c)(2) Official Code of Georgia, Title 43, Chapter 11A., Dietetics Practice Act. http://iblce.org/ http://www.eatrightpro.org/resources/about-us/what-is-an-rdn-and-dtr/what-is-a-registered- dietitian-nutritionist

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM PROCEDURES MANUAL NS Staff Eligible to Provide Nutrition Education Policy No. NS-200.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of pages: 2

Page 2 of 2

Definitions/Supporting Information Competent Professional Authority (CPA) – An individual on the local agency staff who is authorized to determine nutritional risk and prescribe supplemental foods. The following individuals may be authorized and trained to serve as a CPA: physicians, nutritionists (bachelor’s or master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences, Community Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, Dietetics, Public Health Nutrition), registered dietitians, licensed dietitians, registered nurses, and physician assistants (certified by the National Committee on certification of Physicians Assistants or certified by the State medical certifying authority), or State or local medically trained health officials.

Nutrition Assistant (NA) – An individual on the local agency staff who has been authorized to provide low risk secondary nutrition education within a limited scope of practice. NA must only provide education that they have specifically been trained to provide. Lesson plans or evidence of training related to the content must be available for review by the State Agency for all low-risk nutrition education an NA provides. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN, LD) – Completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a US regionally accredited university or college and course work accredited or approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, completed an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies, passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), and completed continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration. In Georgia, the RDN must also be licensed to practice. Licensed Dietitian (LD) – Meets the standards and requirements set forth in the Georgia Dietetics Practice Act. Maintenance of the license requires bi-annual application. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) – An IBCLC is a health care professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding. IBCLCs are certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners under the direction of the US National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Certification is awarded upon completion of extensive clinical experience with breastfeeding mothers, educational credits in lactation, and a passing score on the lactation consultants' examination. IBCLCs must re-certify by acquiring continuing education recognition points over five years and must retake the certification examination after 10 years.