R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-64.1-6: Requirements for certification.

(a)(1) The minimum qualifications of the person responsible for the direction of the food service department of a healthcare facility shall be a certified dietary manager, or a person eligible for certification as a certified dietary manager by the Dietary Manager’s Association (D.M.A.), or with another comparable body with periodic consultation on patient nutritional issues by a registered dietician or a person who can furnish written documentation from an employer that he or she has completed five (5) years or more experience in the capacity of dietary manager.

(2) In addition, the person:

(i) Must possess a high school diploma or a GED certificate;

(ii) May be an active member of the Dietary Manager’s Association; and

(iii) Must have successfully completed one year of practical work experience beyond one hundred fifty (150) hours included in the DM training program, in an institutional setting.

(b) New graduates of DM-training programs may be required to join the Dietary Manager’s Association and then qualify to take the credentialing exam by:

(1) Possessing a high school diploma or a GED certificate; and

(2) Having successfully completed five (5) years’ experience in a managerial or supervisory capacity in an institutional setting.