skip to: page content | sidebar navigation | header navigation | footer navigation
Texas Department of State Health Services Home


   

Find Services | News & Information | Rules & Regulations | Business Information 
 (Buscar)

WIC Training

Interactive Distance Learning
Class Descriptions

Main IDL Class Menu
Breastfeeding
Certification
Class Management
Critical Referrals to Outside Agencies
Customer Service and Civil Rights
EBT
Financial
General
Nutrition
Patient-Flow Analysis
Spanish
Supervisory Skills
VENA
Vendor Relations

Some classes have required or optional materials found on the IDL Training Materials page.

View IDL Training Calendar by Date

View IDL Training Calendar by Subject

Nutrition

Basic Nutrition Module

The Basic Nutrition Module can now be completed on IDL.  Each lesson will be presented in 1 to 1½ hour sessions.  All three parts must be completed to meet the training required by policy and will be scheduled monthly. All three parts will need to be completed within six months of employment.

Nutrition Module — Part 1

Discusses information that includes: carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals and water. Points discussed will include function, requirements, and food sources for these nutrients. In addition, the section on Fats will include information on trans fats. The sections on Vitamins and Minerals will emphasize the Nutrients of Concern for WIC participants.

Nutrition Module — Part 2

Updated information on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, MyPramid and Food Labels are the emphasis in this lesson. The topic on Food Labels will include the information on trans fats and allergy causing foods and additives.

Nutrition Module — Part 3

This lesson will focus on the topics of Weight Management, Vegetarian Diets, Oral Health and Cultural Dietary Practices, and an emphasis on how food and physical activity can affect our health. Oral hygiene will cover the important issues pertaining to different participant categories. The last topic will include guidelines for cultural communication.

Beyond Nutrition Counseling — Part 1

Be prepared to use your keypad and brainstorming skills for this interactive session that will increase awareness of how WIC families perceive the problem of childhood obesity and how WIC currently counsels families on this problem. The session will include the video Beyond Nutrition Counseling: Reframing the Battle Against Obesity, developed by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the Kentucky WIC program.

Return to the top.

Beyond Nutrition Counseling — Part II

This session will examine nutrition counseling goals, characteristics of effective nutrition counseling and motivational interviewing techniques. Participants will be provided with specific advice on how to address issues of concern such as childhood obesity.
    Material Required
  • Attendees should have paper and pen or pencil available for note taking and activity

Brown Bag Series

Wellness in the Workplace

A monthly 15-minute program offering physical activity, healthy eating, and stress management information and tips to help WIC staff live a healthier lifestyle. The first segment is titled "Physical Actitivy: Making It Fun."

No materials needed.

Coming Attractions in Nutrition-Education Classes

This presentation is designed for staff who teach nutrition-education classes. Participants will receive an overview of upcoming or recently produced nturition-education lessons.

No materials needed.

Return to the top.

Developing and Implementing Obesity Prevention Projects

In each IDL class, three Local Agencies will present their projects from previous years.  Technical assistance will be provided from the state agency  and the University of Texas Nutrition Education Evaluation team on planning projects and project evaluation.

No materials needed.

Effectively Using Your Registered Dietitian (Contract and Staff)

As an LA Director or clinic supervisor, do you know what services the Consultant RD can do for your agency? This class will provide you with information on which services the Consultant RD can and cannot provide for your LA. Also covered will be the training requirements the Consultant RD must fulfill in order to meet WIC's standards.

No materials needed.

Feeding Preterm Infants

This class discusses common feeding regimens for preterm infants, such as breastfeeding and the use of human milk fortifiers, special preterm formulas, and post-discharge preterm formulas. This class is intended for CA and WCS staff. Copies of the slide presentation can be downloaded from the Web site.

Fit Kids = Happy Kids

Learn how to use the new Fit Kids materials to help parents improve family eating habits and increase family physical activity.

FIT Kids: Healthy Feeding

The child’s natural ability to regulate food intake; the feeding relationship; developmental ages, stages and feeding skills.

FIT Kids: Physical Activity and TV-Free Time

Information and examples on how moving your body and limiting screen time affects your body, mind, and family. Examples on how to substitue family activities for screen time and how they benefit your overall health and family life.

Return to the top.

Food Intolerance and Allergies

This session covers the information found in Nutrition Fact Sheets no. 4, “Gluten Intolerance,” and no. 5, “Lactose Intolerance.” Food allergies will be contrasted with food intolerances. Information on the causes, symptoms, and management of gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance will be provided.

Fundamentals of Nutrition

This 1.5 hour class uses video segments and jeopardy-style questions to review the six basic dietary nutrients — proteins, carbs, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and water. The video segments explain what nutrients are; why the body needs them; and how they work with each other to produce energy, stimulate growth, repair and maintain hard and soft tissues, and regulate bodily processes. Metabolism, energy-yield from different food types, the composition and role of blood, key vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber are additional topics covered in the class. The impact of nutritional deficiencies on short- and long-term health is also discussed. This class is highly recommended for the following staff: LVN, CA, and WCS. Paper and pencil for note-taking is recommended.

No materials needed.

Return to the top.

GERD — A Primer on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease for Certifying Authority Staff

This class reviews definitions, classifications, and causes of GERD. Also covered are diagnoses and treatment, including nutritional management, medications, and surgery.

No materials needed.

High-Risk Nutrition — Assessment and Counseling Issues for the Underweight Infant or Child

This class will provide the High Risk R.D. with basic knowledge needed to asses and counsel caregivers of underweight infants and children. Topics will include assessing growth, diet and medical/health history. Other topics will cover growth considerations for catch-up growth of premature and low birth weight infants and children, assessing other issues that may influence growth and making appropriate referrals to other health care providers.

Continuing Education Materials

No materials needed.

High-Risk Nutrition — Counseling Basics for the Premature or Low-Birthweight Infant

This four-hour course will provide the R.D. with the basic knowledge needed to counsel the parent of the premature or LBW infant.  Topics will include performing a dietary and basic feeding assessment on the premature or LBW infant, considering developmental readiness, calculating nutrient and fluid needs of the healthy preterm infant and for infants who are tube-fed, and identifying medical and environmental factors that impact the health and care of premature or LBW infants and making appropriate referrals to address their medical and developmental needs.

Continuing Education Materials

No materials needed.

Return to the top.

High-Risk Nutrition — Counseling for the Overweight Child

This four-hour course will provide the R.D. with the basic knowledge needed to counsel parents of overweight children. Topics include nutrition guidelines for children for healthy eating, age and developmentally appropriate activity patterns, feeding practices and eating behaviors for toddlers and children, and current recommendations for screening, identifying and treating toddlers and children who are "at risk for overweight" and "overweight". It is a requirement that all RDs participating in the high risk project attend this session.

Continuing Education Materials

No materials needed.

High-Risk Nutrition — Growth Charts

This class will discuss the use of growth charts and other health indicators to assess growth during infancy and early childhood, plus weight gain issues to consider during pregnancy. Proper plotting techniques, calculating BMI and how to interpret growth charts will be presented. The growth of premature infants will also be discussed, including calculating and plotting adjusted gestational age, as well as the use of growth charts for premature infants.

Continuing Education Information

No materials needed.

High-Risk Nutrition — Indequate Maternal Weight Gain or Loss

Adequate weight gain during each trimester of pregnancy improves pregnancy outcomes for both mother and infant. Inadequate weight gain during the

  • first trimester can affect the growth and development of the fetus’s organs and central nervous system,
  • second trimester implies inadequate nourishment of mother and fetus which increases the risk for fetal developmental and growth retardation and negative outcomes for the mother, and
  • third trimester can affect the baby’s birth weight and health at delivery.

This four-hour class will provide the RD with the basic knowledge and interviewing techniques needed to counsel pregnant women who have lost weight or whose weight gain is inadequate. The session covers how to assess the woman’s feeding patterns and identify

  • key barriers to her adequate weight gain,
  • high risk conditions that lead to her referral to specific health/service providers, and
  • a range of dietary and feeding solutions that she can choose from to help her to improve her weight gain.

    No materials needed.

Return to the top.

High-Risk Nutrition — Motivational Interviewing

This session will introduce attendees to the client-centered counseling methods of Motivational Interviewing.  Attendees will learn about supporting self-efficacy, rolling with resistance and helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence.  Attendees will also be providing techniques for helping clients examine the discrepancies between their current behavior and future goals. Everyone who provides counseling will benefit from learning Motivational Interviewing techniques.

Continuing Education Materials

No materials needed.

High-Risk Nutrition — Nutrition Attitudes, Beliefs, Values, Behavior, and Knowledge

The purpose of this presentation is to enhance the delivery of effective education to adults by providing information and discussing the relationship between diet and health status; knowledge on what influences how people choose foods; the effects of food preferences, culture, nutrition knowledge and beliefs, values, practical considerations (i.e., food cost, occupation, education, etc.), the media, the marketplace and providing ways we can affect a change.

Continuing Education Information

High-Risk Nutrition: Self-Efficacy — A Tool for Motivation

Shows educators how to use self-efficacy to assist the adult learner in making healthy behavior changes related to healthful eating habits and physical activity. Topics covered include defining and assessing self-efficacy and how to assist the client in determining a starting point for behavior change that will result in success.

Continuing Education Information

No materials needed.

Return to the top.

High-Risk Nutrition — Social Marketing

This presentation will enhance the delivery of nutrition and health education messages by increasing client acceptability of a nutrition intervention promoting a behavior change of specific health related risks. Areas of discussion will include needs analysis; targeting of audience; assessment of health-related needs; incorporation of stages of change for receptiveness; developing messages that are informative and persuasive; and utilization of program planning, implementation and evaluation to impact important nutrition and health related messages.

Continuing Education Information

No materials needed.

High-Risk Nutrition — Stages of Change

During this session, attendees will be introduced to the 5 levels of readiness to take action described by the Stages of Change Model. The attendees will be given the opportunity to apply these levels of readiness to health related behaviors such as becoming more physically active and consuming more fruits and vegetables. This session is a requirement for those participating in the High Risk Referral project, however any local agency staff can also attend.

Continuing Education Information

Return to the top.

Hot Topics in Nutrition — The Nutrition and Cancer Connection

The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 85 percent of all cancers are associated with lifestyle and environmental factors, including nutrition. This session will cover the connection between nutrition and cancer.

No materials needed.

How to Complete Your 2008 NE/BF Plan Online

It's here and it's all online. What is IT? The 2008 Nutrition Education & Breastfeeding Plan. No more dried up typewriter ribbons, no more printer running out of paper, and no more stamp licking. The NE/BF plan has been streamlined and simplified. Want to know more? Log in to the "How to Complete Your Nutrition Education & Breastfeeding Plan Online" sessions IDL.

No materials needed.

Inappropriate Feeding Practices for Children

Covers the most common inappropriate feeding practices such as excessive consumption of fruit juices consumption of nonfat or reduced-fat milk, routine consumption of foods and beverages low in essential nutrients, consumption that can put children at risk for choking, and the parent-child feeding relationship.

Lead Poisoning and Iron Deficiency

Covers information from Nutrition Fact Sheets 10 “Lead Poisoning” and 11 “Iron Deficiency.” After this session, you will be able to answer test questions regarding the causes of lead poisoning and iron deficiency, and sources of foods that can prevent lead poisoning and iron deficiency.

More on Getting the Message Out About Diabetes

This class will review the nutrition education lesson, When Christina Got Smart. Find out how to most effectively use the skit in your NE class. As part of that discussion, the importance of stories in motivating behavior change will be covered. We will also replay the skit during the IDL class.

    Material Needed
  • When Christina Got Smart (NR-000-14)

Return to the top.

New 2005 Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid

Because two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans places a stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity. The Dietary Guidelines provide advice for people two years and older on how proper habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. This session will cover the key recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines.

No materials needed.

Nutritional Management of Diarrhea

This course provides an investigation of diarrhea along with causes, consequences, and treatment. Discussion of oral electrolyte solutions and practical preparation of a homemade solution; and, comparison and contrast of homemade solution and store-bought preparations.

Oral Hygiene

This class will provide information to ensure good dental hygiene, and instruction in order to understand the process of tooth decay, what is periodontal disease, dental issues in infants, children, children with special health care needs and pregnant women. You will also learn about specific areas of dental care and the importance of oral hygiene and prevention of dental problems for each WIC participant category.

No materials needed.

Physical Activity for Preschoolers

We've heard a lot about childhood obesity and the role that good nutrition plays in preventing this problem. But what about the rest of the equation — energy expenditure? Did you know there are physical activity guidelines for preschoolers? Do you know about the Physical Activity Pyramid and how infants and young children develop motor skills? Provides information that you may find useful in working with parents and in developing physical-activity lessons and classes.

No materials needed.

Postpartum Nutrition — Part 1

This session covers the content of the first three sections of the Postpartum Nutrition Module. Information covered includes nutrient needs after pregnancy and delivery, weight trends and issues, and positive health behaviors such as healthy eating, physical activity, and managing weight.

Postpartum Nutrition — Part 2

Covers issues such as gestational diabetes, postpartum depression, unexpected birth outcomes, teen motherhood, and family planning and its effect on postpartum nutrition. Also included are practical and effective counseling strategies.

Return to the top.

Prenatal Nutrition I

No two women are alike and, likewise no two pregnancies are alike. Regardless of the differences, pregnancy has a profound effect on a woman's body. Some women may wonder about how much weight they should gain during their pregnancy or if following a vegetarian diet is safe. This session will answer those questions and also review nutrient needs and recommendations during pregnancy.

Prenatal Nutrition II

This class will cover sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Prenatal Module. During this session attendees will be provided information on:

  • Positive health habits for a healthy pregnancy
  • Medical conditions and other factors that make pregnancy riskier for both the mother and her fetus and
  • Commonly experienced discomforts of pregnancy.

Preschool Nutrition — Part I

The Preschool Nutrition — Part I session will familiarize staff with daily nutrition recommendations for preschoolers. Staff will also learn about some of the more specific nutrients and food components that are important to consider when evaluating a preschooler's diet.

Preschool Nutrition — Part II

The Preschool Nutrition — Part II session will present staff with common nutrition problems such as iron deficiency anemia, lead poisoning, underweight and overweight children. This session will also provide practical tips for getting children to eat healthy foods.

Return to the top.

Reading Food Labels

How can food labels help you make healthy food choices? After this session you will be able to identify certain characteristics of food labels, define the term “Daily Value,” recognize the importance of the inclusion of allergy information, describe trans fat and how it is created, evaluate the nutrient content of a food based on the food label.

    Material Needed

  • New Label Reflection Trans Fat Information

Type I, Type II, and Gestational Diabetes

Covers the information found in Nutrition Fact Sheets 12, “Gestational Diabetes;” 24, “Type I Diabetes;” and 25, “Type II Diabetes.” The information covered includes a description of the three types of diabetes, as well as symptoms, management, and treatment goals.

WIC Wellness Works Break

Presented on the last Monday of every month, this monthly 15-minute program offers information on physical activity, healthful eating, and stress management along with tips to help WIC staff live a healthier lifestyle. All local agencies with IDL capabilities are encouraged to log in and participate.

No materials needed.

Return to the top.

WIC Wellness Coordinator Program

If you are interested in starting a wellness program in your clinic, this required training shows you the nuts and bolts of how the program works. Topics include program goals and overview, description of the coordinator's role, material dissemination process and lots of fun activities!!

No materials needed.

 

*You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to read PDF documents. Click on the icon below to download this program, if it is not already installed on your computer.

Get Adobe Reader

.

Return to the top.

Last Updated September 17, 2007
Contact Us | Compact with Texans | Homeland Security | Internet Policy | Site Map | Statewide Search | Texas Online