Jacob Jorem

Jacob Jorem is a psychiatrist, lawyer, and researcher focusing on mental health policy, health law, and bioethics. As a Harkness Fellow at the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School, his research centers on improving access to and the quality of mental health care. In the coming year, he will serve as a Joint Fellow-in-Residence at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics, Harvard University and the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics, continuing his work at the intersection of mental health policy, law, and ethics. Previously, Jacob was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University while completing his interdisciplinary PhD on the introduction of a capacity-based mental health law in Norway. He also held the position of Assistant Professor at the Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo. He has authored multiple scientific articles, reports, and a book chapter. In his public sector roles, Jacob was Head of the Secretariat for the Expert Committee on Decision-Making Capacity, contributing to national policy recommendations. He also worked as a senior adviser at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, providing authoritative interpretations of the Mental Health Care Act and representing the government in court cases. As a chief physician in adult psychiatric care in Oslo, he delivered high-quality clinical services. Drawing on wide-ranging experience across academia, public service, law, and clinical practice, Jacob brings a uniquely integrated perspective to health policy and reform.