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California RD Licensure Top Ten List
by Jennifer Hirsch, RD
Here are the 10 things to keep you in the know about licensure for California Registered Dietitians:
- 1. AB 575 is legislation for licensing of RD's in CA
- Provides a standard for professional integrity/values for RD's
- RD's in CA are the only health care professionals not licensed
- Health care reform requires "licensed" language for health care professionals
- Creates recognition of RD among other health care professionals
- Showcases the RD as the nutrition expert
- Potential for RD reimbursement for MNT services
- Increased RD autonomy in practicing MNT
- Helps reduce health care costs by RD's practicing to our full capabilities
- Regulates only RD's, and does not affect the practice of other nutritionists or health care professionals
Licensure Q & A from CDA:
Q: What will the effect be on retired dietitians? Some people want to remain as an RD to the 50 year with ADA.
A: We haven't discussed this specifically, but my opinion is that a retired dietitian who does not wish to work would not need to be licensed.
Q: Will licensure be required for all CA dietitians or only those who practice in licensed health care facilities or do private counseling? Specifically: sales? Public schools? Authors? Fitness gyms? College educators? Does licensure apply regardless of employment setting?
A: Licensing applies to the practice of dietetics and is not defined by the employment setting. Therefore it applies to all RDs who present themselves with the RD credential. Dietetics is defined as "the integration and application of principles derived from the sciences of food, nutrition, management, and communication, and from the biological, physiological, behavioral, and social sciences to achieve and maintain optimal health".
Q: Will licensure be required to continue registration status? What happens to someone who drops out for a decade to raise a family? Are they prohibited from calling themselves a dietitian or RD socially?
A: If an RD is not working (as in your example of dropping out of the workforce to raise a family) he/she would not need a license. He/she would need to maintain registration through CDR by completing the required CEUs. When he/she wished to be employed, he/she could apply for a license as long as the RD credential is still active.
Q: Has the CA Hospital Association agreed to support or not oppose the bill?
A: The California Hospital Association supports the bill.
The only potential opposition we have heard from so far are dietitians in private practice who have set up their businesses as LLC's (Limited Liability Corporations). We will be addressing this issue as the bill moves forward into the Senate.
The bill will initially be heard by the Assembly Business and Professions Committee likely on Tuesday, April 26. The second committee to hear the bill will be the Assembly Appropriations and our lobbyist has a good relationship with the chair of that committee. | 
