The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has announced recent disciplinary actions and withdrawals of charges involving health care providers in several counties. The Health Systems Quality Assurance Division took these actions to enforce standards among more than 80 licensed health care professions, including nurses, dentists, and counselors. The DOH works with boards and commissions to oversee public safety and professional accountability in health care.
In Benton County, the DOH denied Jessica Almanza’s application for a home care aide credential in September 2025. The decision followed an incident in February 2025, when Almanza returned from a work break smelling of alcohol and possessing alcohol. She admitted to these actions during a department investigation.
In Clallam County, the DOH took disciplinary action in October 2025 against Qing Tan, ordering Tan to stop practicing massage therapy in Washington unless properly credentialed or exempted. Tan was also fined $1,000. In Cowlitz County, registered nursing assistant Timothy Howard Bennett was charged with unprofessional conduct after a June 2025 conviction for possessing sexually explicit depictions of a minor. Charges against home care aide Olaf Troester were withdrawn in October 2025…