Professional Opportunities for Paraprofessional Staff in WIC: Findings from Policy Analyses
In response to challenges hiring and retaining Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, many WIC agencies hire and train paraprofessionals (individuals without a nutrition credential) to provide low-risk nutrition services. However, there is substantial ambiguity across agencies regarding position titles, qualifications, and job responsibilities of these positions. This presentation will share findings from a document analysis of State agency staffing policies to show how these roles are interpreted and implemented. Gain insights into the prevalence of paraprofessional staffing structures, the specific types of roles utilized, and the career opportunities described in policy. This session demonstrated how these findings can inform optimized paraprofessional staffing models and training programs to build the capacity of the WIC workforce.
Presenter: Anneliese “Lee” Vogler, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian and the project coordinator for the Professional Opportunities for Paraprofessional Staff in WIC project, or WIC POPS. Lee began her career as a registered dietitian at Marion County WIC in Indianapolis. Her experiences serving families and mentoring new staff have inspired her passion for creating sustainable structural changes to empower the WIC workforce. Lee earned her BS in Dietetics at Eastern Michigan University and her MPH in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, where she also completed the Maternal and Child Nutrition Traineeship.