JTDC - Registered Dietitian

Registered Dietitian

The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) provides safe and temporary housing for youth ages 10 18 with pending legal action in the Cook County Courts. The JTDC provides its youth with leadership, structured care, and supervision through a balanced approach of creative programming and services that teach responsibility, accountability, and sensitivity. Each member of the JTDC staff is actively encouraged and supported in pursuit of creative participation, personal well-being, and professional development. As the largest juvenile detention center in the nation, the facility contains five major departments and various offices consisting of 600+ employees who serve an average daily population of 280+ residents. The Registered Dietitian is responsible for developing the diets of residents of the Cook County Temporary Juvenile Detention Center and for educating individuals on the benefits of maintaining proper dietary standards.

Typical Duties

• Conducts nutritional analysis of meals served at the JTDC.
• Developing menus for resident meals that meet nutritional guidelines with the regulatory standards of the National School Lunch Program is preferred.
• Provides training to staff and residents regarding dietary issues in conjunction with the Department of Programs and Professional Services.
• Develops and monitor resident nutritional plans of care for adherence to federal and state mandates, National Commission on Correctional Health Care, and American Dietetic Association standards.
• Oversees food preparation and service programs for residents with special dietary and nutritional needs.
• Make recommendations regarding dietary policies and procedures, evaluating their implementation after approval, and reporting on adherence.
• Interviews residents to ensure nutritional needs are current and properly assessed.
• Assists medical personnel who are performing nutritional evaluations; evaluate medical diet orders to determine conformance to recommendations; review medical diet order forms of the medical health service provider for accuracy of diet information; ensures residents on medical diets receive appropriate diet trays; provide counseling to residents who are receiving medical diets.
• Meets with residents and their parents/legal guardians to discuss problems and concerns regarding their diets; meet with health services personnel to coordinate nutritional services; generate monthly reports; respond to resident grievances.
• Regularly attends meetings to provide information regarding food preparation, service delivery and nutritional analysis; attend conferences and workshops of nutrition and dietetic organizations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Dietetics, Foods and Nutrition, Institutional Management or Food Administration or similar program that is authorized by the American Dietetic Association, required.
• Registered Dietician by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
• Licensed Dietitian through the IL Department of Financial and Professional Regulations.
• United States citizenship.
• 21 years of age at the time of application submission.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics

• Requires advanced workable knowledge, skills and abilities in the following dietary competencies:
• principles and practices of nutrition and diet therapy
• selection and preparation of foods to provide optimum nutritional values
• principles and practices of dietetics and large-scale food service practices
• methods, materials and equipment used in large-scale food preparation and service
• bacteriological principles as applied to food spoilage and sanitation
• sanitary and safety standards applicable to large-scale food preparation and service
• approved infection control techniques
• Establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with residents and/or their legal guardians.
• Maintains records and prepares reports regarding diets, menus, caloric intake, etc.
• Establishes and maintains working relationships with JTDC staff, including food services staff, chaplains, medical and Allied Health Services staff.
• Highly accountable, reliable, and prompt, with a strong work ethic.
• Demonstrates proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrates skills in database creation and maintenance.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit at a desk for a large portion of the day.
• Extensive reaching, bending, and moving of objects up to 20 pounds to organize and place in files.
• May require periods of walking throughout the facility.
• May require periods of standing.
• Ability to effectively operate and utilize a computer.
• Must be able to work longer hours based on departmental needs.

Working Conditions

• Exposure to residents' behavior problems that may include physical acting out and require safe physical management skills.
• Exposure to residents with complex mental health issues and/or disorders.
• Exposure to youth with various states of cleanliness and hygiene.
• Exposure to various health related conditions or residents of a communicable nature which requires precaution and adhering to medical instruction.
• Exposure to communicable diseases of youth.

Hiring Requirements

• Illinois residency must be obtained within 90 days of the date of hire.
• Pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check including but not limited to LEADS, CANTS, and professional references.
• A result of negative from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Child Abuse Registry.
• Must pass Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) screening requirements.

Benefits Package

• Information concerning the benefits for this position can be found at the Circuit Court of Cook County Employment Opportunities Page.

The Office of the Chief Judge is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Office of the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County to provide equal opportunity in employment for all employees and applicants for employment. No person is to be discriminated against in employment because of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.

Circuit Court of Cook County