321—7.12 (231) Nutrition services.
	 7.12(1) Purposes of the program. The purposes of the nutrition services program are to:
	  a.   	 Provide meals and other nutrition-related services, including outreach and education to elders;
	  b.   	 Provide information and referral services, health and human service counseling, recreation activities, and access to nutrition services to participants when services are needed; and
	  c.   	 Provide activities of interest to elders on each day the congregate meal site is open including a monthly nutrition education program under the supervision of a licensed dietitian if the nutrition education provides medically oriented information.
	 7.12(2) Assessment of need. The AAA shall determine the best location for nutrition services within the planning and service area at least once during the long-range plan development cycle. The needs of the community will be considered in determining the locations for nutrition services.
	 7.12(3) Inspection of congregate nutrition sites. All congregate nutrition sites shall be inspected by the department of inspections and appeals and shall have a current food service establishment (restaurant) license posted in the congregate nutrition site.
	 7.12(4) The AAA shall ensure that nutrition funds are used to:
	  a.   	 Provide at least one meal per day in a congregate nutrition site or provide home-delivered meals based upon a determination of a participant’s need.
	  b.   	 Provide other nutrition services to ensure that the maximum number of eligible elders, with emphasis on the frail, those with greatest social and economic need, and the isolated, shall have the opportunity to participate.
	  c.   	 Provide nutrition screening and counseling as appropriate and nutrition education services to address assessed needs.
	 7.12(5) Food assistance program. The AAA and nutrition services providers shall assist participants in taking advantage of benefits available to them under the food assistance program by providing current information to participants in both the congregate and home-delivered meals programs. Nutrition services providers shall be certified to accept food assistance as contributions for meals.
	 7.12(6) Licensed dietitian. Each AAA must utilize the services of a licensed dietitian to provide technical assistance in nutrition program management and to ensure that the project provides meals that comply with the RDA/AI.
	 7.12(7) The AAA shall develop procedures to:
	  a.   	 Ensure that food service personnel, both paid and volunteer, conform to hygienic food handling techniques and to standards given in the current edition of “Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition—Food Code” published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration;
	  b.   	 Provide for ongoing training on safety, hygienic food handling and sanitation for both volunteer and paid food service personnel;
	  c.   	 Ensure that food service personnel, both paid and volunteer, are provided with job descriptions and standards of performance which shall be evaluated annually; and
	  d.   	 Regulate the use of foods remaining after serving at congregate meal sites.