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.