Registered Dietitian

Position Overview

This role entails a Registered Dietitian (RD) providing nutrition evaluation, individualized counseling, meal planning, and education to clients undergoing detox and residential treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. The RD will work closely with a multidisciplinary treatment team to address nutritional deficiencies, medical dietary needs, and promote healthy eating habits supporting recovery and wellness.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments covering weight history, BMI, lab results, hydration, appetite, gastrointestinal issues, and nutrition-related medical conditions.
• Evaluate signs of malnutrition and deficiencies often linked to substance use, recommending tailored nutrition interventions accordingly.
• Deliver personalized nutrition counseling using motivational interviewing and client-centered methods, educating on nutrition’s impact on recovery, mood, and sleep.
• Facilitate group education sessions on topics such as nutrition during recovery, brain healing through nutrition, hydration, blood sugar balance, budget-friendly meal planning, mindful eating, weight management, medication-nutrition interactions, and nutrient deficiencies in SUD.
• Review and adjust menus for nutritional adequacy and USDA guideline compliance, coordinating with dietary services and ensuring quality and balance.
• Manage therapeutic diets including diabetic, cardiac, renal, low sodium, high protein, weight management, allergy-sensitive, vegetarian/vegan, religious, and texture-modified diets as applicable.
• Support detox clients by assessing nutritional risks during withdrawal, monitoring hydration and electrolytes, and advising on symptoms like nausea and appetite loss.
• Provide ongoing nutritional counseling in residential treatment, monitor progress and weight changes, and support wellness integration with therapists.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings, contributing nutrition expertise and communicating relevant concerns, while documenting thoroughly and timely within electronic health records per policies and regulations.
• Assist with discharge planning by providing nutrition recommendations, educating clients on community resources, and coordinating referrals for outpatient nutrition support.
• Develop and maintain rotating, seasonal, and cyclical menus meeting dietary guidelines and client needs, coordinating with catering vendors, monitoring meal quality and satisfaction, enforcing safety and compliance with health standards, and leading quality improvement efforts.
• Contribute to the formulation of nutrition-related policies, procedures, and budget recommendations related to food service and therapeutic diets.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related area.
• Registration as a Dietitian (RD or RDN) through Commission on Dietetic Registration.
• Active state licensure if mandated and CPR certification preferred.
• Experience with substance use disorders, behavioral health, or medical populations preferred.
• Expertise in nutritional issues related to substance use and withdrawal, co-occurring mental health disorders, ASAM criteria understanding, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed care.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, documentation, organizational, and teamwork abilities.
• Physical capability to conduct group sessions, remain active during work hours, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.

Performance Expectations

• Complete nutrition assessments and documentation timely and accurately.
• Deliver evidence-based nutrition education and maintain regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate effectively with team members to provide client-centered, recovery-focused care aligned with the organization’s mission and values.