New Core Competency Framework Enhances Support for SNAP-Ed Policy and Environmental Change Implementers

A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, outlines a set of core competencies designed to support professionals implementing policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change initiatives in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed). Developed through a participatory process with experienced practitioners, the framework addresses the unique demands of systems-level public health work.

To develop the competencies, researchers used the Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) method, gathering input from a national panel of PSE change implementers with at least 50% of their job dedicated to PSE work. Participants represented diverse geographic regions, program sizes, and implementation models. Over a hybrid 16-hour workshop, the panel identified the job’s essential duties, tasks, knowledge, skills, tools, and behaviors, resulting in a set of nine core duty areas encompassing nearly 100 tasks.

The competencies cover areas such as community capacity building, a competency unique to SNAP-Ed PSE implementers, as well as strategic planning, partnership development, evaluation, and administrative management. The study emphasizes the complexity of PSE implementation—work that often spans multiple sectors, settings, and stakeholder groups, and requires high-level coordination, adaptability, and collaboration.

Lead author Sarah Misyak, PhD, MPH, Research Assistant Professor, Assistant Director, and Program Manager for Research and Evaluation at Virgina Tech, said, “Implementing policy and environmental change requires a distinct set of professional skills that go beyond direct education. By defining these core competencies, we offer implementing agencies a roadmap for hiring, training, and retaining staff equipped to drive long-term change in their communities.”

The framework can be used to strengthen job descriptions and recruitment efforts, guide internal staff development, and inform undergraduate and graduate nutrition and public health curricula. The authors suggest that integrating these competencies into SNAP-Ed and other community nutrition workforce development strategies will help reduce employee burnout, clarify expectations, and ultimately enhance program impact.

Notes for editors

The article is "Development of Core Competencies for Implementers of Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Initiatives," by Sarah Misyak, PhD, MPH; Jeannie Necessary, MS; Tenneal Bringle, MPA; Dale Kehr, MBA, MS; Meredith Scott, MS; Jollyn Tyryfter, MPH; Andrea Krauser Wann, MPH; and Elena Serrano, PhD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.03.007). It appears in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, volume 57, issue 8 (August 2025), published by Elsevier.

The article is openly available at https://www.jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(25)00076-4/fulltext.

Full text of the article is also available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Eileen Leahy at +1 732 406 1313 or [email protected] to obtain a copy. To schedule an interview with the author(s), please contact Sarah Misyak, PhD, MPH, Virginia Tech, at [email protected].

The authors acknowledge this project was funded by the land-grant universities system Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Program Development Team through South Dakota State University grant no. E0019176.

An audio podcast featuring an interview with Sarah Misyak, PhD, MPH, and other information for journalists are available at https://www.jneb.org/content/media. Excerpts from the podcast may be reproduced by the media with permission from Eileen Leahy.

About the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB)

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB), is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education and dietary/physical activity behaviors. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research, emerging issues, and practices relevant to nutrition education and behavior worldwide and to promote healthy, sustainable food choices. It supports the society’s efforts to disseminate innovative nutrition education strategies, and communicate information on food, nutrition, and health issues to students, professionals, policy makers, targeted audiences, and the public.

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior features articles that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice, and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests of health, nutrition, education, Cooperative Extension, and other professionals working in areas related to nutrition education and behavior. As the Society's official journal, JNEB also includes occasional policy statements, issue perspectives, and member communications. www.jneb.org

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