I had some mental health crises in 2007 and '14 that required that I be involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals, on account of the fact that I was a danger to myself and others, and incapable of giving informed consent for treatment. I was really messed up.
Currently, I’m looking for a new place to live. A lot of people are requesting background checks. Is this the sort of thing that would show up on a background check? As far as I know, I don’t have a criminal record.
Generall speaking, they’re not as coordinated as the criminal justice system about records. It’s not likely that it would show up in a background check unless you contested it and it went to court and a judge ruled that you were to be detained. I have heard that it varies from state to state.
Because you’re talking about a tenant background (as opposed to a background for buying a gun) this shouldn’t come up. There are legal protections regarding release of medical data.
The only way I can think of where it might show up is if it was connected to a criminal charge. Like if you pleaded out to a crime due to mental incapacity. Then there might be a record. But I stress the word might. Many times even criminal records get sealed when there are mental health issues attached.
Considering ordering your Medical Information Bureau report (discussed in this link - warning, pdf). The various reports you can request are as a result of the same law that lets you get your credit report every year.
From what I understand about the MIB and similar reports, they can only list things that have happened in the past 7 years - and your first stay was a lot longer ago than that while your second one might just be there.
As far as the kinds of background checks done for an apartment rental: I suspect that would be more tied to law enforcement and credit issues - though I may well be wrong. There are many other free reports you can order, if you go down through the document; it couldn’t hurt to request several of the background reports so you have an idea of what might be out there.
I did the MIB report once, years ago. IIRC, I could request it online but they did not display it online, it was mailed to me.
From my limited legal experience in the area, they are supposed to reported to the FBI for use in the NICS (National Instant Check System) for gun purchases as an involuntary commitment to a mental hospital is a lifetime disqualifier for gun purchases under federal law. To what extent that would carry over to background checks that us mere mortals can conduct, I am not sure.
That’s actually not true. A 5150 means you can’t purchase a gun for five years. After that you can
Yeah, my parents were both involuntary committed (one for a severe bipolar episode, the other after a suicide attempt) and my mother at least purchased a hand gun from a legitimate gun store about a decade later.