With the issues of gun control and mental health intertwined in current national debate, the University of Iowa Alumni Association (UIAA) has organized an event that taps into the knowledge and expertise of university faculty.

This Lifelong Learning event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, 350 East Third St. in Dubuque. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. Register by noon on Wednesday, April 17, by visiting www.iowalum.com/lifelonglearning/amendment.

The April 24 Lifelong Learning event, “Second Amendment and Mental Health Issues Discussion,” will feature Todd Pettys, College of Law associate dean for faculty and the H. Blair and Joan V. White Chair in civil litigation, and James Potash, head of psychiatry and the Paul W. Penningroth Chair in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

In 2008, more than two centuries after the Second Amendment's ratification, the United States Supreme Court finally began to address the scope and limits of the constitutional right to possess a firearm. Pettys will discuss two important Supreme Court rulings from 2008, as well as what the court is likely to confront next.

Whenever mass shootings occur, many media and members of the public assume that these tragic events have been carried out by people with mental health problems. In fact, mentally ill patients are rarely violent, and many experts agree that the best way to keep them and the people around them safe is to ensure that they have access to high quality care. Potash will review steps that can be taken within Iowa and at the federal level to improve access to such care by people in need.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact Whit France-Kelly at the UIAA in advance at 319-335-3296.