Dietitians, Nutritionists, Nurses who hold the title of Competent Professional Authority (CPA) in the Illinois WIC Program.
Online
Class Times
09:00 AM - 12:00 PM

The Intro to PCC training has been updated and renamed ‘Using VENA to Guide WIC Services’.  The NEP will introduce this new training available to staff. Orientation materials are being edited at this time to include the requirement of 6 months of WIC experience prior to taking this course. To register, please visit the training landing page to find the course registration link.

Additional Information

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective participant centered counseling techniques by using open-ended questions, affirmations and reflective listening to guide conversations
  • Apply the principles of VENA to conduct strength based, collaborative and individualized assessments tailored to participants unique needs and preferences
  • Use behavior change strategies to support participants in setting realistic health goals 

By registering for this training, I certifyI will complete and enrure the following before attending the live training:

  • Watched the following four pre-recorded webinars, completed the associated pre-work activities and print/access the Using Vena to Guide WIC Services Workbook to follow along during training.  This takes approximately 2 hours to complete.
  • Pre -recorded webinars  
    • Part 1: Introduction (18 minutes)
    • Part 2: Webinar: Assessing Protective Factors and Nutrition Risks (20 minutes)
    • Part 3: Sensitive Topics and Topics for Nutrition Services (21 min)
    • Part 4: Family Assessments and Moving from Assessment to Nutrition Services (15 minutes)
    • Prework included in Using VENA to Guide WIC Services Workbook  
      • Activity: 1A Focus on Strengths, Not deficiencies (8 minutes) 
      • Activity: 2B Probing for Further Information (5 minutes) 
      • Activity: 3A Crafting Strong Affirmations (5 minutes) 
      • Activity 4A: Avoiding the Expert Trap (5 minutes) 
      • Activity 5A: Asking About Sensitive Topics (8 minutes) 
      • Activity: 6A Connecting the Dots (5 minutes) 
      • Activity: 7A Family Based Springboard Questions (8 minutes)  
  • Attendance for the entirety of the training and participation throughout this training are required to receive a certificate of completion. Trainees will be asked to participate by speaking, utilizing the chat function, submitting activities, or other modes of interaction. 
  • Access to equipment and training environment conducive to remote-based online training including: Computer with stable internet connection, camera, microphone, speaker/audio output (or headphones if within open work area) and a quiet space to focus on training and avoid interruption while attending the training.
  • Please note: If fewer than 5 trainees register for this training, it may be canceled, and registrants will need to register for the next available date.
Meeting/Conference
5
5
RN: 5
Registered Dietician
5
Trainer(s)
Jennifer Allington, MS, RD, LDN; Melissa Banz, MS, RD, LDN, CLC; Jaclyn Castellanet, MS, RD, LDN,CLC; Ginny Belt, BS, RD, LDN, CLC; Jessica Gadomski, MS, RDN, LDN, Amanda Gelasi, MS, RD, LDN; Constance Herriott, MS, RDN, LDN, CLC; Valerie Koress, MS, RDN, LDN, IBCLC; Jennifer Nance, MS, RDN, LDN, CLS.
Training Type

Registration for these trainings closes one week prior to the scheduled training date.

Upcoming Events

Jan 15, 2025 - Virtual
Jan 23, 2025 - VIrtual
Jan 24, 2025 - Virtual: Region 2 staff only
Feb 05, 2025 - VIrtual
Feb 19, 2025 - Virtual
Mar 06, 2025 - Virtual
Mar 26, 2025 - VIrtual
Apr 09, 2025 - VIrtual
May 14, 2025 - Virtual
Jun 26, 2025 - Virtual
Jul 09, 2025 - Virtual
Jul 23, 2025 - Virtual
Aug 06, 2025 - Virtual
Aug 19, 2025 - Virtual
Sep 10, 2025 - Virtual
Oct 08, 2025 - VIrtual: new employees