Montana Licensure Law

In 1987 Montana amended its statutes and passed a licensure law which regulates and defines the scope of practice in nutrition. An individual must be licensed as a dietitian within the state to practice dietetics.

Practice of dietetics is defined as the integration and application of the principles derived from the sciences of nutrition, biochemistry, food, physiology, management and behavioral and social sciences to achieve and maintain people’s health.

Exemptions from licensure requirements. This Act does not prevent:

1. a student or intern in an approved academic program or a paraprofessional with approved dietetic-nutrition training from engaging in the practice of dietetics-nutrition if a licensed nutritionist is available for direct supervision and if the student, intern, or paraprofessional does not represent himself to the public as a nutritionist;

2. a licensed physician or nurse from engaging in the practice of dietetics-nutrition when it is incidental to the practice of his profession;

3. a person licensed under any other law from engaging in the profession or business for which he is licensed if he does not represent himself to the public as a nutritionist;

4. an educator or advisor employed by a nonprofit agency acceptable to the board or by an accredited degree-granting institution or an accredited elementary or secondary school from engaging in an activity within the scope of his salaried position;

5. a person employed by or under contract with an agency of the state or federal government from discharging his official duty if he does not represent himself to the public as a nutritionist;

6. a person from furnishing general nutrition information, including dissemination of literature, as to the use of food, food materials, or dietary supplements or from engaging in the explanation as to the use of foods or food products, including dietary supplements, in connection with the marketing and distribution of those products if he does not represent himself to the public as a nutritionist;

7. a person from furnishing general nutrition information or disseminating literature if he does not represent himself to the public as a nutritionist;

8. a person from fulfilling state or federal regulations governing the delivery or provision of nutritional health services to hospitals or long-term care facilities if he does not represent himself to the public as a nutritionist.

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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