Harvard Catalyst Profiles

Jacob Jorem, JD, MD, is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and currently a Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice through the Commonwealth Fund. His research focuses on healthcare delivery for individuals with serious mental illness. Last year, he was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University while completing his interdisciplinary Ph.D. in mental health policy. Dr. Jorem has extensive teaching experience and has authored several publications, including scientific articles, reports, and a book chapter, exploring mental health policy, health law, and bioethics.

Dr. Jorem also served as the Head of the Secretariat for the Expert Committee on Decision-Making Capacity, where he played a key role in shaping policy recommendations for Norway’s mental health system. In his role as a senior adviser at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, he provided authoritative interpretations of the Norwegian Mental Health Care Act. He also represented the Norwegian government in court cases concerning involuntary hospitalizations. As a psychiatrist, he ensured high-quality patient care as chief physician at the adult psychiatric division of Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo.

• Mental Health
• Health Care Delivery
• Public Health Practices
• Health Law