As advocates push this year for ballot measure initiatives aiming to protect abortion rights, key differences have emerged in the language of proposed measures. Among them is the inclusion of mental health exceptions. Meanwhile, proposed ballot measure language in Arkansas only says “physical health,” excluding a mental health exception. “We don’t as a society have a great track record of treating mental health the same way we do physical health.”Policies that dismiss mental health as less important than physical health put lives at risk, said Columbia University psychiatrist Paul Appelbaum. We felt it was unlikely for a version that explicitly names mental health to pass.”Arkansas advocates were also worried the opposition campaign would target a mental health exception, Diaz said.

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Persons: Kaniya Harris, Harris, don’t, “, ”, Roe, Wade, Michelle Oberman, ” Oberman, Paul Appelbaum, Appelbaum, ” Jayme Trevino, Mallory Schwarz, —, Gennie Diaz, ” Diaz, Diaz, Ingrid Duran, Duran Organizations: CHICAGO, Alabama, U.S, Supreme, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Santa Clara University, Columbia University, American Psychiatric Association, OB, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Republican, Associated Press, AP Locations: Bethesda , Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, Arizona, Michigan, Arkansas, Florida , Montana and Nebraska, — Florida, Georgia , Idaho , Iowa , Kentucky, Louisiana , Ohio , Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alabama, ” Arkansas, Santa