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9/26/2025
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Community Provider Network honors Sen. Patalano with Governmental Service Award
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 PROVIDENCE, RI — The Community Provider Network of Rhode Island awarded Senator Todd M. Patalano its Governmental Service Award at its 37th Annual Direct Support Professional Celebration today.
CPNRI, which represents 35 organizations that provide support and services to adults with developmental disabilities, gave the award to Senator Patalano in recognition of his bill establishing a “PURPLE Alert” system to help quickly find missing adults with serious disabilities whose health and safety is at risk.
U.S. Senator Jack Reed presented the award to Senator Patalano. U.S. Representative Gabe Amo and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi also spoke at the event.
“I’m honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Senator Patalano (D-Dist. 26, Cranston), who is a major in the Cranston Police Department. “I especially want to thank the dedicated providers here today for the outstanding work they do daily. Whatever we can do as legislators to make that work easier, we will. The PURPLE Alert is a tool that I sincerely hope we will not have to use often, but it is important that we have a working protocol in place before the next time we are on the clock with a missing individual.”
The bill (2025-H 6165A, 2025-S 0983A) was co-sponsored by Rep. Tina L. Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly), who also serves as the CPNRI executive director.
The new law, which was signed by the governor June 13, establishes an alert system similar to existing Silver and Amber Alerts to help locate a missing adult with a physical or neurological disability serious enough to warrant concern for their immediate safety and well-being. The disappearance would have to pose a credible threat to the immediate safety and health of the missing person in order to trigger the alert protocol.
In March, a nonverbal autistic woman went missing for several days in Cranston before being found alive in the back of a parked vehicle. This prompted Senator Patalano and Representative Spears to develop this legislation.
The event, which brought together hundreds of direct support professionals, families and community leaders to recognize the contributions of these professionals, was held at the WaterFire Arts Center.
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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