(a) A licensed health facility, as defined in subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), (f), or (k) of Section 1250, shall employ a full-time, part-time, or consulting dietitian. A health facility that employs a registered dietitian less than full time, shall also employ a full-time dietetic services supervisor who meets the requirements of subdivision (b) to supervise dietetic service operations. The dietetic services supervisor shall receive frequently scheduled consultation from a qualified dietitian.

(b) The dietetic services supervisor shall have completed at least one of the following educational requirements:

(1) A baccalaureate degree with major studies in food and nutrition, dietetics, or food management and has one year of experience in the dietetic service of a licensed health facility.

(2) A graduate of a dietetic technician training program approved by the American Dietetic Association, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, or currently registered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

(3) A graduate of a dietetic assistant training program approved by the American Dietetic Association.

(4) Is a graduate of a dietetic services training program approved by the Dietary Managers Association and is a certified dietary manager credentialed by the Certifying Board of the Dietary Managers Association, maintains this certification, and has received at least six hours of in-service training on the specific California dietary service requirements contained in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations prior to assuming full-time duties as a dietetic services supervisor at the health facility.

(5) Is a graduate of a college degree program with major studies in food and nutrition, dietetics, food management, culinary arts, or hotel and restaurant management and is a certified dietary manager credentialed by the Certifying Board of the Dietary Managers Association, maintains this certification, and has received at least six hours of in-service training on the specific California dietary service requirements contained in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations prior to assuming full-time duties as a dietetic services supervisor at the health facility.

(6) A graduate of a state approved program that provides 90 or more hours of classroom instruction in dietetic service supervision, or 90 hours or more of combined classroom instruction and instructor led interactive Web-based instruction in dietetic service supervision.

(7) Received training experience in food service supervision and management in the military equivalent in content to paragraph (2), (3), or (6).

(c) Pursuant to Section 1276, the State Department of Public Health may grant a program flexibility request to the facility to modify the requirements in subdivision (b) for any individual who has at least five years experience prior to January 1, 2009, as a dietetic services supervisor in a health facility specified in subdivision (a) to allow that individual to function as a dietetic services supervisor for a period not to exceed 18 months, as long as the individual is enrolled in a program that meets the requirements listed in subdivision (b). The department may extend the program flexibility request for a period not to exceed six months if the individual can demonstrate to the department that the coursework could not otherwise be completed within the original 18-month period. Program flexibility requests shall be submitted not later than December 31, 2009.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 225, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.)