Physicians, Clinical Psychologists, Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses, and Qualified Examiners are required to report the following:
Types of Events:
- Persons that are determined to be a "Clear and Present Danger."
- Persons that are determined to have a "Developmental Disability."
- Persons that are determined to have an "Intellectual Disability."
"Clear and Present Danger" as defined in the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act (430 ILCS 65/1.1) means a person who:
- Communicates a serious threat of physical violence against a reasonably identifiable victim or poses a clear and imminent risk of serious physical injury to himself, herself, or another person as determined by a physician, advanced practice psychiatric nurse, or qualified examiner; or
- Demonstrates threatening physical or verbal behavior, such as violent, suicidal, or assaultive threats, actions, or other behavior, as determined by a physician, clinical psychologist, advanced practice psychiatric nurse, qualified examiner, school administrator, or law enforcement official.
"Developmental Disability" as defined in the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act (430 ILCS 65/1.1) means a severe, chronic disability of an individual that:
- Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments.
- Is manifested before the individual attains age 22.
- Is likely to continue indefinitely.
- Results in substantial functional limitations in 3 or more of the following areas of major life activity:
- Self-care.
- Receptive and expressive language.
- Learning.
- Mobility.
- Self-direction.
- Capacity for independent living.
- Economic self-sufficiency; and
- Reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, individualized supports, or other forms of assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.
"Intellectual Disability" as defined in the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act (430 ILCS 65/1.1) means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, which is defined as before the age of 22, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code requires physicians, clinical psychologists, advanced practice psychiatric nurses, and qualified examiners to report clear and present danger events to the FOID Mental Health Reporting website within 24 hours of making the determination, and within 7 days of determining a person has a "Developmentally Disability" as defined in the Firearm Owner's Identification Card Act (430 ILCS 65/1.1).
Direct questions may be forwarded to DHS.FOID@Illinois.gov
Please note: On August 15th, 2025 Illinois passed HB 3078 (Public Act 104-0270) which expanded the definition of Qualified Examiner under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code (405 ILCS 5) to include Physician Assistants (PAs) who have three years of clinical training and experience in evaluating and treating mental illness and includes Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (APPNs) on the list of those making mental health determinations under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code (405 ILCS 5) and the Firearm Owners Identification Act (430 ILCS 65).
