The current Community Feeding Teams received their initial training from the collaborative project between the CHDD, University of Washington and CYSHCN Program, DOH, or by attending national workshops.
Community providers and local agencies interested in forming their own feeding teams will benefit from the publication, Guidelines for the Development and Training of Community-Based Feeding Teams in Washington State (pdf). This document was published after the initial feeding teams training in 1993-updated 2005. Washington State DOH also offers Publications on Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs.
Another resource for feeding team development is a PowerPoint® presentation: The Community-Based Feeding Team (PPT) (Washington State Department of Health, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, updated 2021)
This presentation illustrates the important role a feeding team can play in the care of the child with special health care needs. It was developed to help feeding teams in Washington State describe their services to the communities in which they are located. The presentation shows how such a team can foster growth and development in children who have feeding challenges, while making mealtime a more satisfying experience for the entire family.
The Community Feeding Teams supported by this project attend a day of continuing education annually and are occasionally asked to contribute case studies or participate in surveys to assist in statewide need assessments. Teams supported by this project must at a minimum include a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and a feeding therapist. If you are interested in forming a feeding team and receive support from this project, please contact us.
