Douglas G. Jacobs, M.D.,
Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, is a
nationally recognized expert on suicide and depression and a leader in the
field of mental health. In 1991, Dr. Jacobs spearheaded National Depression
Screening Day, the first large-scale public campaign of mental health education
and screening. The event’s success and his personal commitment to its
continuance led to the founding of Screening for Mental Health, Inc., (SMH).
SMH is a non-profit organization that provides screenings for depression,
bipolar disorder, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, suicide
intervention, alcohol problems and eating disorders. These programs are
designed for community and mental health sites, employers, health care
organizations, colleges/universities and high schools. As its President,
Dr. Jacobs is actively involved in the organization’s growth and its
accountability to the network of professional organizations, providers and
individuals served by its programs.
Building upon his expertise in suicide, Dr. Jacobs established the SMH Suicide
Education and Research Division, which serves to educate academic and clinical
professionals about the assessment and treatment of suicidal individuals. Dr.
Jacobs edited a comprehensive book on suicide entitled, “The Harvard Medical
School Guide to Suicide Assessment and Intervention,” published by Jossey-Bass.
He also served as the chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Work
Group on “Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Treatment of Patients with
Suicidal Behaviors.”
Dr. Jacobs received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine and his post-graduate clinical training at Harvard Medical
School, where he completed a three-year residency in adult psychiatry at the
Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Dr. Jacobs maintains an active clinical
practice and is on the staff at Newton Wellesley Hospital and McLean Hospital
in Belmont, MA. He has been a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty
since 1975.
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