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Vacancies hamstring state dietitian board

To the editor:

With four months left in his final term, Gov. Mitch Daniels has an opportunity to ensure high standards for dietitians while protecting the general public by filling remaining vacancies on the Indiana Dietitian Certification Board.

It is the responsibility of the governor to submit qualified board members who provide oversight for dietitians and other professions certified by the state. These boards are important for accountability and adaptability to workplace changes. They work in the best interest of the public.

This is why it is unfortunate that Daniels has chosen not to follow through with this important obligation despite numerous requests from dietitians throughout Indiana.

To this point, Daniels’ inaction has left the Dietetic Certification Board short of quorum since September 2011 and thus incapable of completing outstanding audits of certifications or considering new methods and procedures that advance our aim to safeguard the public.

Today’s dietitian has a central role in the day-to-day lives of most Hoosiers. We work in Indiana’s schools, senior care facilities, corporations, universities and hospitals.

From a policy standpoint, Indiana’s cities and towns are focusing on ideas to make workplaces healthier. State and federal level health care changes make certain that dietitians will be increasingly relevant for years to come.

Dietitians develop road maps for healthy choices, and we focus on preventing complications brought about by poor diet choices. We provide clarity in a confusing nutritional environment, and we specialize in nutrition therapy by applying skilled, scientific approaches to understand how foods interact with medicines and individuals with specific needs.

We are serious and passionate professionals working at a critical point for Indiana from a health prospective. It is important that certified dietitians become fully engaged with the State of Indiana by receiving the required members of the Dietetic Certification Board from Gov. Daniels.

It is our belief that accountability brings empowerment for our statewide legion of dietetic professionals. Our dietitians want to work supportively with the state to ensure the highest level of service for all Hoosiers. We are certain that Gov. Daniels wants the same.

These final months of the Daniels administration are an ideal period to show leadership while providing a strong example for successive governors. Indiana’s dietitians are ready to work together with Gov. Daniels to truly building a healthier Indiana.

Natalie Hesler,

registered dietitian

Weight Loss & Wellness Center

Johnson Memorial Hospital