Dietitian - Early Childhood Intervention

About the role

Are you looking for a purpose-driven career? At Metrocare, we serve our neighbors with developmental or mental health challenges by helping them find lives that are meaningful and satisfying.

Metrocare is the largest provider of mental health services in North Texas, serving over 55,000 adults and children annually. For over 50 years, Metrocare has provided a broad array of services to people with mental health challenges and developmental disabilities.

In addition to behavioral health care, Metrocare provides primary care centers for adults and children, services for veterans and their families, accessible pharmacies, housing, and supportive social services. Alongside clinical care, researchers and teachers from Metrocare's Altshuler Center for Education & Research are advancing mental health beyond Dallas County while providing critical workforce to the state.

General Description

The mission of Metrocare Services is to serve our neighbors with developmental or mental health challenges by helping them find lives that are meaningful and satisfying. We are an agency committed to quality gender-responsive, trauma-informed care to individuals experiencing serious mental illness, development disabilities, and co-occurring disorders. Metrocare programs focus on the issues that matter most in the lives of the children, families and adults we serve.

The Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program at Metrocare services provides developmental therapies and service coordination to eligible babies from birth up to the age of 3 who have significant developmental delays or disabilities. Services are provided in the natural environment (e.g., home, daycare, community-settings, and telehealth) and are delivered through Coaching with primary caregivers versus one-to-one treatment with the baby and therapist. The Dietitian for ECI is responsible to provide nutritional assessments, education, plans and support to ECI children and families.

HOURS OF RESPONSIBILITY: Our hours of operation are Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm.

The Dietitian for ECI would be expected to be available to provide services and attend required meetings/training during these operational hours.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions listed here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the job.

Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling for families of ECI babies and toddlers in natural-environment settings of the family (e.g., homes and daycares).

• Provide nutritional counseling services to families of ECI in-primary language of the family.
• Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of ECI clients.
• Consult with Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers to ensure ECI client has equipment necessary for dietary care.
• Advise ECI families on nutritional principles, dietary plans and diet modifications, food selection and preparation.
• Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
• Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
• Present to community groups and partners on nutritional education topics.

• Participate as an interdisciplinary team member for service evaluations, coordination, planning, and treatment.
• This position will serve as a primary member of our initial evaluation teams which requires up to 3 days a week in the clinic for appointments.
• The alternating days this position would be providing nutritional counseling services to families in the field (e.g., home, daycare, etc.)

• Attend ECI team meetings, as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• The competencies listed here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Conducts job responsibilities in accordance with the ethical standards of conduct, state contract, appropriate professional standards and applicable state/federal laws.
• Analytical skills, professional acumen, business ethics, thorough understanding of continuous improvement processes, problem solving, respect for confidentiality, and excellent communication skills.
• Ability to clinically support infants and toddlers who are medically fragile (e.g. tube fed, g-button, etc.).
• Ability to manage a caseload of 60+ families per month with independence.
• Self-motivation, professional acumen, problem solving, respect for confidentiality, excellent communication skills for public speaking and presentation skills.
• Must be able to speak in front of unfamiliar people and groups of people.
• Passionate in advocating for and educating for children.
• Thorough understanding of continuous improvement processes
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize workflow and meet deadlines.
• Ability to handle multiple task and special projects simultaneously.
• Able to work autonomously with minimal or no supervision.
• Able to maintain a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's or graduate degree with major in human nutrition, food and nutrition, nutrition education, dietetics, or food systems management, or equivalent internship and preplanned professional experience approved by the Board.
• Successful completion of an examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association.
• Experience working with infants/toddlers with medical needs in employment or volunteer capacity.

Preferred

• Proficient in Spanish and/or American Sign Language.
• Mathematical Skills
• Basic math skills required.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one or two-step instructions.
• Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional variables.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one or two-step instructions. Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables.

Computer Skills

• Use computer, printer, and software programs necessary to the position (i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
• Ability to utilize Internet for resources.

Certifications, Licenses, Registrations

• Licensed Dietician or Licenses Nutritionist by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Dieticians
• Current State of Texas Driver License or if you live in another state, must be currently licensed in that state. If licensed in another state, must obtain Texas Driver License within three (3) months of employment.

• Liability insurance required if employee will operate personal vehicle on Center property or for Center business.
• Must be insurable by Center's liability carrier if employee operates a Center vehicle or drives personal car on Center business.
• Must have an acceptable driving record.

Benefits Information and Perks

Metrocare couldn't have a great employee-first culture without great benefits. That's why we offer a competitive salary, exceptional training, and an outstanding benefits package:

• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement Plan, including employer matching
• Health Savings Account, including employer matching
• Professional Development allowance up to $2000 per year
• Bilingual Stipend - 6% of the base salary
• Many other benefits