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, generalized anxiety disorder,
posttraumatic stress disorder, suicide intervention, alcohol use disorders, 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 McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA.. He has been a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty since 1975.