The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49351

Laurie True, MPH¹, Diane C. Woloshin, MS, RD¹, and Claudia C. Burnett, RD, MEd². (1) California WIC Association, 1010 11th Street, Suite 205, Sacramento, CA 95814, 916.448.2280, ltrue@calwic.org, (2) WIC Supplemental Nutrition Branch, California Department of Health Services, Box 942732, 3901 Lennane Drive, Sacramento, CA 94234

In California as well as nationally, there is a critical shortage of bilingual and culturally competent public health nutritionists to provide at-risk families with the quality nutrition services they deserve – most commonly through the WIC program. Difficult working conditions are causing burnout and turnover of existing nutrition staff on WIC’s frontlines. Moreover, the “graying” of a founding generation of WIC leaders necessitates a conscious effort to identify and nurture the next generation of public health nutrition community activists. The California WIC Association (CWA), representing 81 community WIC programs serving 1.24 million Californians, has implemented WIC Workforce Renewal, a long-term effort to increase the availability, diversity and skills of community nutrition professionals in California through innovative direct training, policy advocacy, and individual support and empowerment. Local agency WIC staff have engaged in intensive efforts to “Grow Our Own,” via six new WIC-based Dietetic Internships in underserved areas; to plan for a “Virtual Internship” serving Far Northern counties. CWA and the State WIC Branch have launched a new WIC Community Nutrition Leadership Development program to increase skills, capacity, and and retention of both new and seasoned WIC nutrition professionals.Increased access to allied health career opportunities and on-the-job training, coupled with scholarships and stipends, will enable talented and multi-lingual/cultural WIC staff to obtain career advancement and job satisfaction, diversify the WIC professional workforce, and improve WIC services to the community.

Learning Objectives:

After this presentation, audience members will be able to
• identify three workforce challenges facing the public health nutrition community in the 21st Century;
• delineate four promising strategies for building new capacity and leadership for community nutrition professionals using WIC para-professionals and public health nutritionists; and
• identify lessons learned about WIC/community nutrition funding and workforce policy development dynamics.

Keywords: Career Development, WIC

Related Web page: www.calwic.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California WIC Association, funded by the University of California at San Francisco, Allied Health Workforce Innovations Grant Program.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Executive Director, California WIC Association