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11/7/2025
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Association of Physical Therapists honor Rep. Bennett, Sen. Ujifusa
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 STATE HOUSE — The Rhode Island Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTARI) honored Rep. David A. Bennett and Sen. Linda Ujifusa as state legislators of the year at its annual meeting Thursday held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick.
“I’ve seen firsthand from my time in medicine the transformative power of physical therapy, and I’m humbled to receive this award from the physical therapists who are helping Rhode Islanders recover from their injuries without costly and invasive surgeries or prescription painkillers,” said Representative Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston) “This is a challenging time for health care in Rhode Island and across the nation, and Senator Ujifusa and I will continue to prioritize access to physical therapy as we work to meet these challenges as legislators.”
Said Senator Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol), “Nearly everyone I know has either needed physical therapy themselves or had a loved one who did. Physical therapists play a vital role in helping patients avoid prescription drugs, surgery and even emergency room visits. I’m honored to receive this award from the dedicated professionals who help so many Rhode Islanders live more active, pain-free lives. I look forward to continuing to work with physical therapists and my colleagues in the legislature to ensure every patient can access the care they need.”
Representative Bennett and Senator Ujifusa have spearheaded efforts to limit physical therapy copays (2025-H 5082, 2025-S 0051) to increase patient access to treatment and improve patient recovery outcomes, an issue they both plan to prioritize in the upcoming session.
“The Rhode Island Association of Physical Therapists wants to thank these legislators for all their hard work in advocating for health care in general, and physical therapy more specifically, over the past few years. Representative Bennett and Senator Ujifusa have consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the issues plaguing Rhode Islanders in terms of health care costs and access to care; furthermore, their leadership in educating their legislative colleagues has had a tremendous positive influence on the patients we care for and the communities we serve,” said APTARI President Tracy Gannon.
In the last legislative session, Rep. Bennett also successfully sponsored a new law (2025-S 0198, 2025-H 6060) to permanently allow physical therapists to order diagnostic imaging, improving Rhode Islander’s access to care at a time when the state faces a significant shortage of primary health care providers.
IN PHOTO: From left, Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa and Rep. David A. Bennett.
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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