Calling all Mississippi Dietitians!!
Are you ready to make a difference in the nutrition and dietetics community? The Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is seeking passionate members to join our board for 2025!
🌟 Open Positions:
- President Elect
- Treasurer Elect
- Professional Development Chair Elect
- Delegate
- Secretary
- Nominating Committee Member
- Regional Coordinators: Delta, Northeast, Central, Gulf
🗓️ Get involved, lead, and inspire your peers!
If you’re interested contact, coachbwalton@gmail.com, rgunn326@gmail.com, or rebeccabagwell@me.com.
🌸 Celebrate Excellence in Mississippi! 🌸
We’re thrilled to highlight our Mississippi-Specific Awards honoring local leaders in dietetics. Nominate a colleague or educator for:
🌟 Magnolia Award
🌟 Outstanding Dietetics Educator of the Year
🔗 Submit nominations here:
Prestige Award
Student Award
Outstanding Educator Award
Nominations close 2/24/25—don’t miss out on celebrating our local heroes!
🎉 Spotlight on Academy Affiliate Awards 🎉
Help us recognize the outstanding contributions of nutrition professionals in Mississippi! Nominate a colleague today for these prestigious awards:
🏆 Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year (RYDY)
🏆 Recognized Dietetic Technician of the Year (RDTY)
🏆 Emerging Leader Award (EDL)
🏆 Outstanding Dietitian Award (ODY)
🏆 Outstanding Dietetics Student Award (ODSA)
🔗 Learn more and view award criteria!
🗓️ Submit your nominations by 2/24/25.
Nominate someone extraordinary today!
Call for abstracts
Call for abstracts are open for the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Conference on March 29, 2025. Use this link for more information and to submit your abstract.
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
On Thursday, January 30, 2025 House Bill 1493 passed out of the Mississippi House of Representatives Public Health and Human Services Committee. On Tuesday, February 4th Senate Bill 2664 passed out of the Mississippi Public Health and Welfare Committee. These bills are bills we have been watching that would create a dietitian licensure compact in Mississippi. Read more about all of the dietetics legislation in Mississippi in the article below.
2025 MS-AND Advocacy Day
Join MS-AND on Tuesday February 25, 2025 for our 2025 Day at the Capitol.
We will start the day at 10:00 AM the Mississippi Public Health Institute (5 Olympic Way Madison, MS 39110) for in-person training about policy and advocacy. Then we will head to the Mississippi State Capitol (400 High Street Jackson, MS 39201) in the afternoon to meet with legislators and work to increase the visibility of dietitians with policy stakeholders. The full agenda is below.
While we are at the Capitol, we plan to have several small group meetings with Mississippi Legislators so that participants can see how easy it is to talk with legislators.
We have applied to the Commission on Dietetic Registration for 5 hours of CPE (3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon). Register here! Registration is: $25 for Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics members, $40 for non-members, and free for students and dietetic interns and includes lunch. If you plan to come to the afternoon session only and do not plan to file for any CPE from the event, that is also a free option.
Please reach out to our executive director, Rachel Kelleher (infomsand@gmail.com) with any questions.
2025 Mississippi Legislative January Update
It has been a very busy legislative session this year, in may ways – including proposed legislation related to dietetics. Please visit https://eatrightmississippi.org/public-policy/ for templates of letters to send your Mississippi Senator and Representative, as well as instructions on how to find your Mississippi Senator and Representative.
We held a webinar on January 10th about compact licensure. Fifty people attended, both members of The Academy, and non-members.
- Compact Licensure for Dietitians in Mississippi
There are bills in the Mississippi House and Mississippi Senate that would create compact licensure for dietitians. Four states have passed compact licensure legislation. When at least seven states pass the bill, a compact commission will be formed and dietitians in those states will be able to have a compact license to practice dietetics in all the states that are in the compact.Please write your Mississippi Senator and Mississippi Representative with your stories of how compact licensure would benefit you, your patients/clients, as well as how it would save the state time and money. There are sample letters on the Public Policy page of our website, as well as information about how to find your Mississippi Senator and Representative (https://eatrightmississippi.org/public-policy/)HB 1493 (sponsored by Rep. Becky Currie) passed out of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee on January 30th. It is now on its way to the entire House floor. Please call or write to your Mississippi House of Representative member and ask them to vote “yes” on HB 1493.
TSB 2664 (sponsored by Sen. Kevin Blackwell passed ouf of the Senate Public Health and Welfare on February 4th. It is now on it’s way to the whole Senate floor. Please call or write to your Mississippi Senator member and ask them to vote “yes” on SB 2664. Thank you as well for Sen. Jeff Tate and Sen. David Blount, members of the Senate Public Health and Welfare for also being in support of this bill.
Social workers and dentists also have compact licensure bills that have been sponsored. None of the groups want to have our bills combined. The bills are too different, and we need the dietetics licensure bill to have the same wording as other states that passed dietetics compact licensure so that the compact can be formed.
You can read more about compact licensure for dietitians here: https://dietitianscompact.org/
- Universal licensure is a law that was passed in the Mississippi legislature in 2021. It includes many different professions and allows people who practiced with a similar license and a similar scope and practice in another state (or if the another state did not have a license for a particular profession, but the individual had a similar scope and practice as the profession in Mississippi, they have to be granted a license). Many professions are working to be excluded from universal licensure. In this legislative session dentists, optometrists, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists have proposed bills.
- Fresh Start Act: Dietitians have been added to an amendment to the “Fresh Start Act of 2019”. This act states that a person cannot be disqualified from pursuing, practicing, or engaging in any occupation for which a license is required solely or in part because of a prior conviction of a crime, unless the crime directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the occupation. We are looking into what could result for our profession if this bill becomes law. We will continue to keep you updated.
- Accept Military education credits and certifications: This would require licensing boards of many professions, including dietetics, to accept miliary education credits and certifications as qualifications towards attaining licensure. We will continue to watch this bill.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Our executive director, Rachel Kelleher, can connect us. Her email address is infomsand@gmail.com. If you are interested in helping MS-AND with our public policy work, please let Rachel know that too. We’d love to have you be a part of this committee.
-Lydia West, MS-AND Public Policy Committee
2025 Savor the Favor of Mississippi
Congratulations to the Culinary Arts Teams from Oak Grove High School, Gulf Port High School, Lowndes County Career & Technical Center! Each of these teams won their regional competitions in the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition’s Save the Flavor of Mississippi Junior Chef Competition. On January 29th , these three team competed at the Mississippi FFA in Raymond, MS in the state championship where they created a meal that could be served in school breakfast and lunch programs. MS-AND members also attended and were able to talk with the participants about career options in the field of dietetics.
Oak Grove High School’s Team, “Stir It”, made Teriyaki Stir Fry Chicken and Vegetables with Asian Noodles.
Gulfport High School’s Team “Coastal Chefs” made Creamy Mediterranean Chicken
Lowdnes County CTE Team “The Spice Peeps” made Taco Soup with Cornbread Muffins
The “Coastal Chefs” came in first place, followed closely by “Stir It” and “The Spice Peeps”. The “Coastal Chefs” head to the Southeast Regional Competition this spring.
It’s time to renew your Mississippi Dietetics License
If you are a dietitian who has a license to practice dietetics in Mississippi, it expires March 31, 2025. You should have received a reminder email from the Mississippi State Department of Health on January 30th. Please visit https://www.msdhpl.webapps.ms.gov/home.aspx between February 1 and March 31st to renew your license.
If you would like to apply for an initial dietetics license please visit https://www.msdhpl.webapps.ms.gov/NewApplication/Default.aspx. Reach out to msdhproflicensure@msdh.ms.gov if you have any questions or would like any additional information.
Job Post: Licensed Dietitian Consultant – The NS Group
We have an open position for a Licensed Dietitian consultant in the Mobile, AL or MS Gulf Coast area.
If you or someone you know might be fit for this position, please contact:
Laura Ewoldt, MS, RDN, LD
Laura@TheNSGroup.co
Role Description
This is a contract Licensed Dietitian Consultant role that is located on-site in Ocean Springs, MS and/or Monroeville, AL. In this role, you will provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) to residents residing in a long-term care facility. You will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals to deliver high quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. You will also be responsible for providing clinical support and adherence to policies, protocols, and programs established by The NS Group and regulatory agencies.
Qualifications
- Valid registration as a licensed dietitian in the state of Mississippi and/or Alabama
- Preference for experience in long-term care or geriatrics
- Ability to work independently, with strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and great attention to detail
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex information to a variety of audiences
- Willingness to travel locally to assist other facilities as needed
Highlights
The position is part-time on an independent contractor basis with an approximate schedule of 1-2 days per week. The NS Group offers competitive pay with bonus opportunities, full travel reimbursement, family-first approach, as well as flexible self-scheduling of your consulting time with some remote off-site work possible. Paid training is provided in addition to multiple CEU opportunities throughout the year. Enjoy the support of working with a team of experienced RDNs and CDMs as well as numerous support staff throughout our company.
The NS Group is a nutrition and foodservice consulting company that has been in business for over 40 years. With more 40 Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Certified Dietary Managers, Nutrition Systems services over 325 accounts in MS, AL, LA, TX and OK. We specialize in long-term and skilled care, assisted living, independent senior living, childcare, corrections, and foodservice consulting.
Please submit your resume to:
Laura Ewoldt, MS, RDN, LD
Laura@TheNSGroup.co