Strengthening communities and building opportunities in Arkansas for all people to thrive and grow requires us to work together. To achieve this, the Arkansas Psychological Association (ArPA) remains dedicated to its mission “to improve human well-being in a society facing ongoing challenges and change.” In accordance with the American Psychological Association’s (APA) code of ethics, Psychologists strive to benefit those they work with while also actively taking steps to avoid causing harm. In the service of these goals, Psychologists “endeavor to be aware of the role of the social and physical environment” as stated in Principle Four of the APA’s Multicultural Guidelines (APA, 2017).

It is imperative that we, as members of the Arkansas Psychological Association, acknowledge the harmful effects of recent national policy changes and misinformation being distributed by the highest levels of our government. Specifically, ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; revoking protections for members of the LGBTQIA+ community; and targeting minority groups for unlawful detainment, imprisonment, and deportation are of significant concern as these policies cause direct harm to populations already at increased risk of being marginalized. Additional policies reducing regulatory bodies over our food, medications, and other products and removing funding for health initiatives, including cancer research, have a direct impact on every person’s health and well-being, both in day-to-day activities and across the lifespan.

Further, sanctioning the very institutions responsible for providing data-driven and evidence-backed guidance and direction for relaying facts that stand in opposition to these policy changes should serve as a clear message that the current policies being put forth are not in the best interest of the general public. Protecting the rights of all people should remain a priority for our governing bodies, which is also in opposition to the current administration’s goal of creating a database of private citizens based on diagnoses gathered from protected health information. These are policies that not only turn back the clock on the progress made over the past hundred years but are in direct opposition to best practices in mental health service provision – practices repeatedly backed by ongoing research.

National policies are both a reflection of shared values and guardrails to protect individuals. The rapid shift away from policies that support minority populations, including racial minority groups, neurodivergent people, individuals with disabilities, and transgender people sends a message that they are not accepted and do not belong. This is in direct contrast with basic human rights outlined in our own Constitution. As a profession providing direct care to the people here in Arkansas, in accordance with the ethical codes Psychologists abide by, the Arkansas Psychological Association strongly opposes exclusionary policies, communications, and language (APA, 2017). Further, we are called to step into our role as advocates and activists during this time and assert that embracing diversity strengthens our society and benefits our wellbeing. Individuals from all different backgrounds, including minority groups, have provided countless contributions to our communities, country, and world, and it is our duty as Psychologists to protect these individuals from harm and serve these individuals well.

To prevent harm towards others and avoid the spread of misinformation, Psychologists are dedicated to ensuring that information is gathered using sound scientific practices that follow established ethical guidelines. Gathering medical data and other personal and protected health information without informed consent is unethical and is not supported by the Arkansas Psychological Association. We understand the hesitation toward the scientific community by many as being rooted in a history of unethical experimentation that caused significant harm to participants (e.g., Tuskegee Syphilis Study; Centers for Disease Control, 2024). To ensure such atrocities are not repeated, it is necessary to maintain protections such as institutional review boards, independent advisory panels, privacy and confidentiality guidelines, and informed consent procedures to minimize harm to all consumers of mental health and related services. We urge our current policymakers and representatives to maintain these protections in research and clinical practice to prevent undue harm to consumers of these services.

The Arkansas Psychological Association asks for all involved in the legislative process to ensure that current and forthcoming policies do not – whether intentionally or unintentionally – dehumanize individuals or groups of individuals. An examination of numerous atrocities committed in human history indicates that cruelty often follows when individuals begin to see their fellow human beings as less than or distinct from themselves (Bandura, 1999; Landry, Orr, & Mere, 2022). The Arkansas Psychological Association reaffirms its commitment to helping Arkansans thrive via promoting mental health and well-being. By highlighting our current concerns, we hope to advocate for policies that serve to strengthen communities, support ethical scientific progress, and promote a sense of belonging for all.

References
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of
Conduct. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ethics/code
American Psychological Association. (2017). Multicultural guidelines: An ecological approach to
context, identity, and intersectionality, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/about/policy/multicultural-guidelines
Bandura, A. (1999). Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities. Personality and Social Psychology
Review, 3(3), 193-209.
https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0303_3
Centers for Disease Control. (2024). About the untreated Syphilis study at Tuskegee. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/
Landry, A. P., Orr, R. I., & Mere, K. (2022). Dehumanization and mass violence: A study of mental state language in Nazi propaganda
(1927-1945). PloS one, 17(11), e0274957. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274957