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2004 SESSION

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HB 455 Dietitians; licensure.

Introduced by: Michele B. McQuigg | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Health professions; licensure of dietitians. Requires dietitians to be licensed by the Board of Medicine. The "practice of dietetics" is defined as the integration and application of principles derived from the sciences of nutrition, biochemistry, food, physiology, management and behavioral and social sciences to achieve and maintain health through the provision of nutrition care services that shall include (i) assessing the nutrition needs of individuals and groups based upon appropriate biochemical, anthropomorphic, physical, and dietary data to determine nutrient needs and recommend appropriate intake including enteral and parenteral nutrition; (ii) establishing priorities, goals, and objectives that meet nutrition needs and are consistent with available resources; (iii) providing dietetic nutrition counseling by advising and assisting individuals or groups on appropriate nutrition intake by integrating information from the nutrition assessment with information on food and other sources of nutrients and meal preparation consistent with cultural background and socioeconomic status; (iv) developing, implementing, and managing nutrition care delivery systems; and (v) evaluating, making changes in, and maintaining standards of quality in food and nutrition care services. The bill provides that the practice of dietetics includes medical nutrition therapy. The Board of Medicine is given the authority to establish criteria for licensure that include (a) at least a bachelors degree in human nutrition, nutrition education, foods and nutrition, food systems management, dietetics, or public health nutrition or a related field from an accredited college that meets the requirements of the Commission on Dietetic Registration; (b) at least 900 hours of supervised experience approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration; (c) passage of the examination for registration administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration or current registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration; and (d) documentation that the applicant for licensure has not had his license or certification as a dietitian suspended or revoked and is not the subject of any disciplinary proceedings in another jurisdiction. Exceptions to the licensure requirement are provided for (1) any student performing activities related to an educational program under the supervision of a licensed dietitian or any person completing the supervised practice required for licensure; (2) a registered dietetic technician working under the supervision and direction of a licensed dietitian; (3) a government employee or a person under contract to the government acting within the scope of such employment or contract; (4) any health professional licensed or certified under this title when engaging in the profession for which he is licensed or any person working under the supervision of such a professional; (5) a certified teacher employed by or under contract to any public or private elementary or secondary school or institution of higher education; (6) any person with management responsibility for food service department policies, procedures or outcomes in any food service department in any program or facility licensed by the Commonwealth; (7) any person who does not hold himself out to be a dietitian who furnishes general nutrition on food, food materials, or dietary supplements or explains to customers about foods or food products in connection with marketing and distribution of food or food products; or (8) any person who provides weight control, wellness, or exercise services involving nutrition provided the program has been reviewed by a licensed dietitian, no change is initiated without prior approval of the dietitian, and consultation is available from a licensed dietitian. No dietitian employed as such prior to June 30, 2004, will be required to comply with licensure until July 1, 2006. Finally, the bill creates an Advisory Board on Dietitians that expires July 1, 2007.


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