Tri-Cities psychologist accused of being naked in waiting room

A Kennewick psychologist has been accused of twice being seen naked by visitors to his office complex.

The Washington state Department of Health charged Richard Ostrom with unprofessional conduct, it said in a news release this week.

Ostrom, who is about 70, shared an office suite with a licensed mental health counselor.

The counselor told state officials that she was walking a client to their car when the two saw Ostrom standing naked, with the possible exception of a khaki hat and dress boots, behind the glass door to the suite in October 2019.

A second incident allegedly occurred in December 2019.

A juvenile client of the counselor was waiting in the lobby of the suite shared with Ostrom, when the counselor saw Ostrom without clothes in the waiting room, according to state documents.

Ostrom admitted the incident, according to the statement of charges filed in September 2021.

The Department of Health Examining Board of Psychology filed the charge of unprofessional conduct in late September.

Ostrom, who has been licensed as a psychologist since about 2003, can defend against the charge.

He did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Tri-City Herald.

This story was originally published December 5, 2021 at 5:00 AM.