news

Changes

The North Carolina Board
of Dietetics/Nutrition has
seen several changes in the
last year. We are saying
goodbye to two devoted,
hard working Board
members and will be
welcoming two new
members soon.

Additionally, we have
moved to a new manage-ment
company, Olson
Management Group, and
are excited about the
services they have to offer
all of our licensees.

We thank Laurie Shaw for
her years of efficient,
dedicated service and
welcome Kathy Norris and
her team of professionals
on board as our new staff.

Letter from the chair

There is much to report in this first newsletter for fiscal year 2002-2003. After
careful consideration of the Board’s future and the importance of meeting the
needs of licensees in the areas of public relations, growth and technology, the
decision was made to move our management services to Olson Management
Group, Inc. (OMG). We are excited about the future of NCBDN and the opportunities that OMG will provide for our profession.

NCBDN will be managed by a very professional team of three at OMG. Kathy
Norris, our new Executive Secretary, provides oversight to the staff working
with the Board in database management, finance, publications, strategic plan-ning,
government relations, and public relations. Vera Askew and Andrea Van
Hoever will work with Kathy. Vera will be working with the day-to-day operations
of the database and will be the first line of communication for those
calling in needing information about licensure.

OMG has been in the Raleigh area for over 25 years. It was founded by Michael
S. Olson, CAE, and is a charter member of the Accreditation Commission of the
American Society of Association Executives of which Mike is now President &
CEO. With over 21 professional associations and boards, OMG is experienced
and driven to boost our efforts in increasing public relations with our customer,
the licensee. Please join the Board in welcoming Kathy, Vera and Andrea as staff
to the NCBDN.

As with any move, there are challenges. We are working hard to unpack boxes,
get files in order, transfer the database and guide Kathy and her team as they
learn how our Board operates. If they do not have an immediate answer to your
question, they will respond as soon as possible. Your understanding during this
time is very much appreciated. Please note our new address and contact
information at the end of this newsletter.

Also, as with any move, there is some nostalgia and sadness as the Board leaves
MCI and most importantly, Laurie Shaw. Laurie devoted countless hours of
service to the Board. Her efficiency and dedication were key in helping the
Board to streamline operations and costs over the last several years. We all wish
Laurie the best in her future endeavors.

It is also sad when Board members end their service. Shelia Garner, RD, LDN
and Elizabeth Laney have served the mximum allowed two terms and are
leaving the Board. Shelia has worked xtremely hard as Chair of the Board and
her leadership has been an inspiration to all of us. Elizabeth has been an outstanding
Public Member for the last six years and has worked hard to help
streamline our financial procedures. Additionally, she has offered a refreshing
perspective of licensure regulation through the eyes of the public. Both Shelia
and Elizabeth will be missed, and the Board wishes them the best!
On behalf of the Board members and staff, best wishes for a fun and safe summer!

Contact us

Enclosed with this newsletter is
a customer services survey. The
North Carolina Board of Dietetics/
Nutrition always welcomes
your ideas. Please take a mo-ment
to let the Board know how
to best meet the needs of all
licensees.
Also enclosed is a copy of the
current Board roster. This roster
changes as necessary when new
Board members begin their
tenure or there are changes in
contact information.

You can reach Joy Traynor, Executive Secretary, in the following ways:
North Carolina Board of
Dietetics/Nutrition
1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 102
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 787-5181
jtraynor@olsonmgmt.com

You can reach Vera Askew in the
following ways.
North Carolina Board of
Dietetics/Nutrition
1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 102
Raleigh, NC 27607
(800) 849-2936
(919) 861-5580
vaskew@olsonmgmt.com

You can reach the Compliance
Investigator in the following ways:
Kim M. Dove, RD, LDN
(919) 831-0303
(800) 878-1312 (Fax)
Kdove@nc.rr.com
NCBDN website:
www.ncbdn.org.

Looking ahead to 2002-2003

The Board accomplished the follow-ing
goals for the 2001-2002 fiscal year.

1. The revision of the new Board
member orientation packet for
2002-2003 was completed and will
be updated as needed.

2. The Board continues to educate
licensees regarding the impact that
federal legislation has on the
practice of dietetics/nutrition in
the state of NC. Licensees were
kept informed of the status of the
federal legislation of Medical
Nutrition Therapy.

3. The Board began and continues to
investigate the impact that elec-tronic
technology has on the safety
of weight control programs offered
via the Internet to North Carolin-ians.
The Board conducted a review of several Internet nutrition pro-grams that were providing nutrition care services to North Carolinians without being licensed to do so and issued cease and desist orders.

4. The Board collaborated with the
North Carolina Dietetic Associa-tion
on issues that impact licensure
and the protection of the public.

A public member at large of NCBDN
authored an article for the North
Carolina Dietetic Association’s news-letter, The Link , on the importance of
licensure and the regulation of the
practice of dietetics for the protection
of the public from harmful practice.

Several board members from the
NCDA attended a NCBDN meeting
to develop strategies for working
together to increase awareness of the
importance of licensure. Also dis-cussed
were ways to change our law
to insure that only LDNs were able to
provide nutrition information.

NCBDN collaborated with NCDA to
increase awareness of the nutrition
profession with the members of the
Old North State Medical Society.
Leolia Spaugh, Barbara Ann Hughes
and Kim Dove attended the annual
meeting of the Old North State

Medical Society. Barbara Ann Hughes
worked at the NCDA exhibit and
provided information on the dietetics
profession.

The decision was made to postpone the
revision of the weight control standards
manual entitled “Making Weight Con-trol
Services Safe in North Carolina”,
pending research in the areas of obe-sity
and weight management.

The Board is preparing the Annual
Report to the Governor, which
includes the following goals and
objectives for 2002-2003:

GOAL: To continue the education of Board members to insure that the public is pro-tected from harm through the regulation of the practice of dietetics/nutrition.

Objectives:

1. To provide orientation to new
board members; and

2. To keep current board members
informed of all aspects of board
operation.

GOAL: To provide optimal customer
service to licensees.

Objectives:

1. To provide training for new
management services company; and

2. To survey licensees in an effort to
provide optimal customer service.

GOAL: To collaborate with licensees and
other medical professionals on issues
that impact licensure and the protection
of the public.

Objectives:

1. To provide information on licen-sure
at annual meetings of health
care professionals; and

2. To continue to collaborate with
NCDA via the NCDA Liaison.

Weight control service news

The Board has approved the following changes in the North Carolina Weight
Control Guidelines on Nutrition: Standards for Safe Weight Control.

A person is classified to be at moderate risk for safe weight control if they:

1. Are under 18 years of age with a BMI of >25 kg/m2;

2. Are over 18 years of age with a BMI of 30-35 kg/m2; AND

3. Have one or more of the medical conditions, obesity related diseases, or
cardiovascular risk factors, such as, but not limited to hypertension, elevated
blood glucose levels, CHD, DMII, sleep apnea, etc. OR

4. Have a waist circumference of >35 inches for females and >40 inches for
males; OR

5. A waist to hip ratio of >.8 for females and >.95 for males.

A person is classified to be at high risk for safe weight control if they have:

1. A BMI > to 35 kg/m2;

2. One or more medical condition, obesity related diseases, or cardiovascular

risk factors, such as, but not limited to HTN, elevated fasting glucose, CHD,

DM; OR

3. Waist circumference of > 35 for females and > for males; OR

4. A waist to hip ratio > .8 for females and .95 for males.

Please feel free to contact the Board office or Kim Dove with questions regard-ing
these new guidelines.

At their last meeting on August 19, 2002, the Board voted to change the way that
weight control programs are reviewed. According to G.S. 90-368(7), a person who
provides weight control services is exempt from the Dietetics Practice Act pro-vided
that the program has been reviewed by, consultation is available from, and
no program change can be initiated without prior approval of:

a. A licensed dietitian/nutritionist;

b. A dietitian/nutritionist licensed in another state that has licensure require-ments
that are at least as stringent as under our law; or

c. A dietitian registered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the

American Dietetic Association.

Therefore, effective immediately, the LDN that reviews the program will be able
to approve or deny approval of the program reviewed. The North Carolina
Guidelines on Nutrition: Standards for Safe Weight Control will still be used to
guide both the reviewer and the program through the review process. Weight
control programs will still be required to have a consulting dietitian for those
clients that need one and approved programs may not be altered without the
prior approval of a dietitian.

After the review is completed and the program is either approved or denied
approval, all of the paperwork will be sent to the Board office as has always
been done. The Board will also send out the letters of approval or denial as well
as certificates of approval as in the past. Please feel free to contact the Board
office with any questions that you may have regarding this new process.

The board needs
your help!

Licenses to practice dietetics/nutri-tion
expire each year on March 31.
There is a 60-day grace period for renewal each year until May 31.
During the grace period, a licensee may renew his/her license by paying the renewal fee plus a late fee. After May 31 each year, those whose
licenses have not been renewed are considered lapsed. Unless you are working in an exempt position, practicing dietetics without a license is considered a Class 1 misdemeanor.
At their last meeting, the Board voted in favor of classifying lapsed licens-ees as “unresolved”. This will de-crease the time and cost of locating unlicensed dietitians, which costs the Board more that $1000 per year.
Please contact the Board office
immediately if you know of anyone practicing without a valid license.
The Board appreciates your help in this matter. Upcoming board meetings
All Board meetings are open to
anyone who wants to attend. If you would like to attend a meeting, please notify the Board one week in advance of the meeting. The follow-ing
meeting dates were set for 2002. Monday, July 22, 2002
Monday, August 19, 2002
Monday, September 16, 2002
Monday, October 14, 2002
Monday, November 18, 2002
Monday, December 16, 2002

All meetings will be held in the
Boardroom at OMG at 9:30 a.m. Please note the new location of the
Board office below and contact Kathy Norris for directions.