Efforts are under way to obtain licensure for Certified Diabetes Educators.

Purpose

Professional licensure has numerous purposes: consumer protection, professional recognition and setting quality guidelines for the profession.

Updating Strategy for Licensure Legislation in California

Members of the California Dietetic Association will renew their efforts to pass dietitian licensing legislation in 2012 in the wake of the bill being unexpectedly pulled from consideration by its lead sponsor due to political considerations unrelated to RDs.

In an unanticipated move, the sponsor decided not to move the bill forward in the face of opposition from the California Nurses Association, as part of a dispute between nurses and hospitals in the state. Members of the California Dietetic Association were working with the nurses association to try to iron out differences and misunderstandings when the decision was made to put the bill on hold. The meetings will continue, and the sponsor has indicated she may introduce the bill again next year.

ADA has been assisting CDA in building its grassroots team, and CDA took the lead in educating its membership and making visits to state legislators to build support for licensure.

Note: The California Nurses Association (CNA) reportedly went out of their way to kill the bill and obviously succeeded.