DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This is a professional position involving responsibility for providing nutritional education and counseling services to nutritionally high risk populations. Work requires professional level counseling skills and ability to teach nutritional aspects of basic and special diets to support and implement various Health Department programs. Additional responsibilities may include preparing reports, surveys and evaluations to meet New York State requirements and Health Department program guidelines, as well as assisting in management functions relative to nutrition programs, such as budget development, cost control, organization and training of personnel. An incumbent of this position must be qualified to function as a Competent Professional Authority (CPA). Work is performed under direct supervision of a higher level Health Department program supervisor. Supervision over the work of subordinate employees may be provided. Performs related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)

• Conducts nutrition risk assessments to assess patients’ need for nutritional care, and determine nutrition risk factors and program eligibility;
• Provides nutrition counseling and education responsive to the identified needs/interests of at-risk participants, to assure satisfaction of complete nutritional needs;
• Plans and implements individual care plans for at-risk participants;
• Prescribes, tailors, authorizes and reissues food packages according to program requirements and participant needs;
• Plans, conducts and evaluates in-service education and training programs in nutritional care for the staff of the County Health Department, staffs of other agencies and interested community groups, as appropriate;
• Provides and documents appropriate follow-up referrals to other health and social services, and available community resources in foods and nutrition, such as home-delivered meals, Title VII Nutrition Programs, food stamp programs, homemaker services, etc.;
• Maintains records relative to counseling, recommendations, referrals and progress of program participants;
• May prepare reports relative to programs and participants, in accordance with federal, state and department regulations, as needed;
• Assists dietary staff and nursing staff in outreach efforts to educate the community in nutritional benefits as well as program expansion;
• May assist with training of subordinate staff;
• Performs a variety of related activities as required.

Typical Work Activities are intended only as illustrations of possible types of work that might be appropriately assigned to an incumbent of this title. Work activities that do not appear above are not excluded as appropriate work assignments, as long as they can be reasonably understood to be within the logical limits of the job.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:   Good knowledge of modern principles and practices of nutrition and dietetics including basic and therapeutic nutrition, menu planning, marketing, preparation of food, etc.; good knowledge of food values and costs; good knowledge of modern methods, materials and appliances used in food preparation; good knowledge of current sources of informa­tion and litera­ture on nutrition; ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate nutritional needs of the individual or group; ability to teach partici­pants and program personnel good nutrition; ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing to groups and individuals; ability to maintain accurate records and prepare reports; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships; ability to deal effectively and objectively with clients of diverse socio-economic backgrounds and cultures; integrity; good listening skills; tact; confidentiality; good judgment; resource­fulness.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Either

1. Bachelor’s degree or higher in nutritional sciences, community nutrition, clinical nutrition, dietetics, public health nutrition or a closely related field; or
2. Associate’s degree in nutritional sciences, community nutrition, clinical nutrition, dietetics, public health nutrition or a closely related field and two (2) years of experience in the development or administration of a nutrition program; or
3. An equivalent combination of training and experience as indicated above.

PLEASE NOTE: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Candidates must be fluent in the understanding, speaking, reading, writing and translating Spanish.
2. Completion, within a reasonable period of time after appointment, of a USDA-approved competency-based training program on performing the duties of a Competent Professional Authority (CPA) for WIC nutritional programs;
3. Current registration and certification issued by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Commission on Dietetic Registration as a Nutrition and Dietetics Technician or Dietetic Technician, or current registration and certification issued by the Office of Professions, New York State Education Department, to practice as a Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, may be required within a reasonable time period after appointment, depending upon assignment.

1/95; 9/97; 11/07; 1/09; 7/14; 4/17

Competitive Class