Georgia Licensure Law
In 1994 Georgia amended its regulations and passed the "Dietetics Practice Act" which regulates and defines the scope of practice in nutrition. An individual must be licensed as a dietitian within the state to practice dietetics.Dietetic practice or dietetics means the integration and application for compensation of principles derived from the sciences of nutrition, biochemistry, food, physiology, management, and behavioral and social sciences to achieve and maintain client health through the privision of nutrition care services.
Nothing in this act shall be construed to affect or prevent:
1. A student enrolled in an approved academic program in dietetics from engaging in the practice of dietetics under the supervision of a dietitian; or a dietetic technician, certified dietary manager, or dietetic aide in a health care facility from providing nutrition services under the supervision of or in the consultation with a dietitian;
2. A dietitian who is serving in the armed forces of the U.s. or any other federal agency from engaging in the practice of dietetics, provided that such practice is related to service or employment; 3. Persons licensed to practice the professions of dentistry, medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, nursing, or pharmacy from engaging in the practice of dietetics when incidental to the practice of their profession, except that such persons may not use the title “dietitian”;
4. A nonresident registered dietitian from practicing dietetics in this state for five days without a license of up to 30 days per year with licensure from another state if the requirements for licensure are substantially equal to the requirements contained in this act;
5. Employees of a department, agency, or division of state, county, or local government from engaging in the practice of dietetics within the discharge of official duties when such practice is directed by or in consultation with a dietitian licensed under this act;
6. Persons who were engaged in dietetic practice prior to July 1, 1994, but the prohibition shall apply to such persons on and after July 1, 1995;
7. PERSONS WHO PROVIDE WEIGHT CONTROL SERVICES, provided the weight control program has been reviewed by, consultation is available from, and no program change can be initiated without the prior approval of either a dietitian licensed under this act, a dietitian licensed in another state which has licensure requirements which are substantially equal to the requirements contained in this act, or a registered dietitian;
8. Persons from marketing or distributing food, disseminating information on food, food materials, dietary or food supplements, or minerals or herbs, including but not limited to operators and employees of health food stores or other licensed businesses which sell such products, provided that such persons shall not engage in the oral or written explanation of the historical use, benefit or preparation of such products which is intentionally deceptive or fraudulent, and such persons shall not furnish specific nutrition information related to such products which is deceptive or fraudulent. Persons included in this paragraph shall not use the title “dietitian” and shall not designate themselves by any other term or title which implies that such persons are licensed under this chapter;
9. The practice of the tenets of any religion, sect, or denomination shall not use the title “dietitian” and shall not designate himself or herself by another term or title which implies that such member is engaged in dietetic practice;
Persons with a master’s or doctorate degree from any regionally accredited college or university with a major course of study in human nutrition, food and nutrition, dietetics, food systems management, or nutrition education, or persons with a doctorate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a major course of study in nutritional biochemistry, provide that such persons shall not use the title dietitian.
SINCE THIS STATE HAS STRICT LICENSURE LAWS, IT IS ILLEGAL TO PROVIDE ANY NUTRITION SERVICES WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF A LICENSED DIETITIAN.
Although every attempt has been made to summarize the state licensure statutes, to provide health professionals with accurate statements regarding individual state regulations, Lifestyle Management Associates cannot guarantee that all information is current at all points in time, and cannot guarantee or be held responsible for any misinterpretations of the law. Every attempt has been made to persuade all allied health professionals to associate with registered, licensed dietitians.
For more detailed information on the licensure laws of this state and to obtain state licensure agency contact information visit www.cdrnet.org/certifications/licensure/index.htm.
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