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UW Health Northern Illinois: Strangulation: The Last Warning Shot - 2 Day Training (2026)
Overview
Despite growing national awareness of the lethality and long‑term impact of strangulation, significant gaps remain across criminal justice, medical, and advocacy systems in the consistent identification, investigation, documentation, and prosecution of non‑fatal strangulation cases. Many professionals lack a clear understanding of why strangulation and suffocation offenses must be treated as high‑risk felonies, and multidisciplinary teams often struggle to coordinate an effective, evidence‑based response. Current practice frequently falls short in recognizing the subtle signs and symptoms of strangulation, assessing internal injuries, understanding delayed or long‑term medical consequences, and documenting findings in a way that supports successful prosecution and enhances victim safety.
Law enforcement, dispatchers, paramedics, nurses, prosecutors, and advocates often receive uneven or insufficient training on the physiology of strangulation, the latest research and laws, and the investigative and legal strategies required to hold offenders accountable, particularly in cases where victims recant or are unable to participate. As a result, many strangulation cases continue to be minimized, charged, dismissed, or overlooked entirely, leaving victims at heightened risk of future harm or homicide.
Elements of Competence
This educational activity is designed to change learner competence and focuses on the following competencies:
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)/Nursing: Patient care and procedural skills and systems-based practice
- Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competencies: Interprofessional Communication
Intended Audience
This activity is designed for physicians, advance practice nurses, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, first responders, and students.
Learning Objectives
As a result of this activity, participants, as members of the healthcare team will be able to:
- Increase participants’ understanding of the seriousness of strangulation and suffocation as felony‑level offenses, strengthen multidisciplinary system responses to non‑fatal strangulation, and expand awareness of current research, laws, best practices, and available resources.
- Increase participants’ ability to recognize the signs, symptoms, and medical consequences of strangulation including internal injuries, delayed fatality risks, and long‑term effects while strengthening accurate identification and thorough documentation by dispatchers, paramedics, nurses, and law enforcement.
- Enhance the accurate identification, thorough investigation, and detailed documentation of strangulation cases while strengthening felony‑level accountability and expanding the use of multidisciplinary teams through the implementation of improved investigative protocols.
- Increase the successful prosecution of felony strangulation cases regardless of victim participation by improving evidence‑based strategies, strengthening offender accountability, reducing case dismissals or charge reductions, and enhancing victim safety through early, coordinated intervention.
- Improve victim safety and support by increasing awareness of the risks of strangulation, expanding the use of risk assessment tools and available resources, and strengthening trauma‑informed advocacy practices across all disciplines.
- Increase understanding of childhood trauma, ACEs, and their impact on adult behavior while integrating the Science of HOPE into professional practice to build resilience, mitigate trauma, and improve long‑term outcomes for clients and communities.
Strangulation: The Last Warning Shot - Wednesday & Thursday, April 22-23, 2026
| Wednesday, April 22, 2026 | |
| Morning Sessions | |
| 9:00am - 9:15am | Welcome, Course Overview & Introductions |
| 9:15am - 10:15am | Because We Didn’t Know - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 10:15am - 10:30am | Break |
| 10:30am - 11:30am | What You Need to Know - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 11:30am - 12:00pm | Lunch |
| Afternoon Sessions | |
| 12:00pm - 12:50pm | If We Only Knew: All Things Medical - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 12:50pm - 1:00pm | Group Excise: Vital Neck Structures |
| 1:00pm - 1:15pm | Break |
| 1:15pm - 2:15pm | Making Sure You Know - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 2:15pm - 2:30pm | Break |
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | How Do You Know: The Patrol Response - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 3:30pm - 4:00pm | Questions, Claiming Credit, and Adjournment |
| Thursday, April 23, 2026 | |
| Morning Sessions | |
| 9:00am - 9:15am | Welcome, Course Overview & Introductions |
| 9:15am - 10:05am | How Do You Know: The Follow-Up Investigation - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 10:05am - 10:15am | Group Exercise: Watch Video & List Evidence |
| 10:15am - 10:30am | Break |
| 10:30am - 11:30am | How Do You Prove it: The Prosecution - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 11:30am - 12:00pm | Lunch |
| Afternoon Sessions | |
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | How Do You Prove It: Court Considerations - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn & Gael Strack |
| 1:00pm - 1:15pm | Break |
| 1:15pm - 2:15pm | They Have a Right to Know: Victim Advocacy - Speaker(s): Gael Strack |
| 2:15pm - 2:30pm | Break |
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Now That We Know - Give HOPE - Speaker(s): Casey Gwinn |
| 3:30pm - 4:00pm | Questions, Claiming Credit, and Adjournment |
Emergency situations occasionally occur and may necessitate topic or speaker changes. The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP reserve the right to alter or substitute a topic or speaker without prior notification.
Valet parking and Shuttle Services are available
Policy on Disclosure
It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) to identify, mitigate and disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* held by the speakers/presenters, authors, planners, and other persons who may influence the content of this accredited continuing education (CE). In addition, speakers, presenters, and authors must disclose any planned discussion of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices during their presentation.
For this accredited continuing education activity all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated and detailed disclosures are listed below.
Name | Role(s) | Financial Relationship Disclosure | Discussion of Unlabeled/Unapproved Uses of Drugs/Devices in Presentation? |
Amanda Miller, DO Physician UW Health | Course Director; Faculty | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Jennifer Pirrello, BSN, RN, TCRN, TNS Trauma Coordinator UW Health | Planning Committee Member | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Heather Nieves, MHA Medical Education Coordinator UW Health | Planning Committee Member | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Deanna Berg, DNP UW Health | Planning Committee Member | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Pamela Wales Emergency Medicine &Quality Coordinator UW Health | Planning Committee Member | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Veronika Yurchenko, PharmD Pharmacy UW Health | Planning Committee Member | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Carrie Hamilton, MSN UW Health | Planning Committee Member | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Gael Strack Co-founder of Alliance for HOPE International | Faculty/Speaker | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Casey Gwinn, Esq. Attorney and President of Alliance for HOPE International | Faculty/Speaker | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
Kelsey Fausel, PharmD (Resident) Physician - Obstetrics and Gynecology UW Health | Faculty/Speaker | No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. | No |
*Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on, patients.
The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical services directly to patients to be ineligible companies.
Accreditation Statement
 | In support of improving patient care, the University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP 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. |
Credit Designation Statements
| American Medical Association (AMA) The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this live activity for a maximum of 8.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. |
 | American Board of Surgery (ABS) - CME Only Successful completion of this CME activity, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit. By completing the requirements for this activity, the learner gives UW-Madison ICEP permission to share completion data with the ACCME and the certifying board(s) |
 | American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 8 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 8.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. |
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this live activity for a maximum of 8.0 ANCC contact hours. | |
Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) A maximum of 8.0 hours of knowledge-based CE credit can be earned by successfully completing this live activity. Pharmacists should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. CE credit information, based on verification of live attendance and completion of the program assessment and evaluation, will be provided to NABP within 60 days after the activity completion. UAN: | |
 | CAPCE This educational activity has been approved by the University of Wisconsin Health as a CAPCE accredited continuing education activity for prehospital providers. This live activity is designated as an F1 educational event and is eligible for Continuing Education Hours (CEHs) in accordance with the standards of the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE). Credit hours will be awarded based on verified attendance and participation. EMS providers must meet all participation requirements and complete the required evaluation to receive CE credit. |
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP, as a member of the University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), authorizes this program for 8.0 continuing education units (CEUs) or 8.0 hours. |
Available Credit
- 8.00 AAPA Category 1 CME
- 8.00 ABS Accredited CME
- 8.00 ACPE Contact Hours - Pharmacist
- 8.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 8.00 ANCC Contact Hours
- 8.00 University of Wisconsin–Madison Continuing Education Hours
- 8.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Registration Fees
This course is free to attend.
In-person attendees will receive breakfast, lunch, and refreshment breaks.
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY
Requests for cancellation must be submitted in writing to [email protected].
Registration for this activity can only be completed through the ICEP Learning Portal. Attendee registrations made through any other sites cannot be honored. UW-Madison ICEP is not able to refund fees paid through unaffiliated registration sites, such as eMedEvents.com, MedConfWorld.com, EventEgg.com, and 10times.com. Please report any unauthorized websites or solicitations for registrations to [email protected].
Questions about Registration
Email [email protected].
Program Changes
Emergency situations occasionally occur and may necessitate topic or speaker changes. The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP reserve the right to alter or substitute a topic or speaker without prior notification.
Accessibility
We value inclusion and access for all participants and are pleased to provide reasonable accommodation for this event. Please contact [email protected] as soon as you can make a reasonable accommodation request.
For Further Information
For conference information please contact Heather Nieves ([email protected]).