The American Problem-Understanding What the Evidence Really Says about Gun Violence, Mass Shootings, and Mental Illness 6.5.26

June 5, 2026

Target Audience

Nurse

Nurse Practitioner

Physician

Physician Assistant

Psychologist

Social Worker

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the limited overlap between violence and mental illness

2. Explain the extent of gun ownership and injury in the US

3. Apply basic precepts of public health policy

4. Recognize challenges and opportunities in controlling firearm access for high-risk populations

 

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 APA
  • 1.00 ASWB
  • 1.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
06/02/2026
Course expires: 
12/30/2026
Event starts: 
06/05/2026 - 12:00pm EDT
Event ends: 
06/05/2026 - 1:00pm EDT

·     Public discourse and public policy on firearm injury prevention are routinely driven by outlier tragedies such as mass shootings: Orlando, Newtown, Las Vegas, and too many others to list.  News media and pundit responses to these events often drive misinformation and inspire misguided and ineffective policy.  Exploring the complex interplay between violence, firearms, and mental illness in modern America from the perspective of a forensic and emergency psychiatrist, this presentation explores how evidence-based policies and interventions could have a meaningful impact on firearm injury prevention with minimal impact on Constitutional rights.  While this is a less clinical topic, it is invariably timely and salient and is intended to demystify and debunk common misperceptions about the issue held by advocates on both sides of this important problem.  An emphasis will be made on interventions which can usefully scale across different types of gun violence.      

 

Disclaimer Statement

The information presented at this CME program represents the views and opinions of the individual presenters, and does not constitute the opinion or endorsement of, or promotion by, the UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences, UPMC / University of Pittsburgh Medical Center or Affiliates and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.  Reasonable efforts have been taken intending for educational subject matter to be presented in a balanced, unbiased fashion and in compliance with regulatory requirements. However, each program attendee must always use his/her own personal and professional judgment when considering further application of this information, particularly as it may relate to patient diagnostic or treatment decisions including, without limitation, FDA-approved uses and any off-label uses.

 

 

 

 

Virtual
Pittsburgh, PA
United States

       Dr. Jack Rozel, MD, MSL, DFAPA   

Disclosure Statement: No members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships with any proprietary entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services, used on, or consumed by, patients to disclose.

 

 

Accreditation and credit designation

In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician (CME)

 The University of Pittsburgh School designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing (CNE)

The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.0 contact hours.

 

Social Work (ASWB) 
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. University of Pittsburgh maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 continuing education credits. 

Physician Assistant (AAPA)

The University of Pittsburgh has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. 

Psychologist (APA)

Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

Other Healthcare Professionals

Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 APA
  • 1.00 ASWB
  • 1.00 Attendance
Please login or register to take this course.