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PRESS RELEASE                                 SOURCE:  First Trust Advisors L.P.

FIRST TRUST ADVISORS L.P. ANNOUNCES PORTFOLIO MANAGER UPDATE CALL FOR FIRST
TRUST STRATEGIC HIGH INCOME FUND II

WHEATON, IL -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- July 15, 2013 -- First Trust Advisors L.P.
("FTA") announced today that First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II (NYSE:
FHY) intends to host a conference call with Brookfield Investment Management,
Inc. ("Brookfield"), the Fund's investment sub-advisor, on MONDAY, JULY 29,
2013, AT 4:15 P.M. EASTERN TIME. The purpose of the call is to hear Brookfield's
portfolio management team provide updates for the Fund and the Market.

--    Dial-in Number: (866) 865-6631; International (706) 679-1727; and Passcode
      # 13729063. Please call 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the
      teleconference.

--    Telephone Replay: (800) 585-8367; International (404) 537-3406; and
      Passcode # 13729063. The replay will be available after the call until
      11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, August 29, 2013.

FTA has served as the Fund's investment advisor since the Fund's inception. FTA,
along with its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P., are privately-held
companies which provide a variety of investment services, including asset
management and financial advisory services, with collective assets under
management or supervision of over $70 billion as of May 31, 2013, through unit
investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and
separate managed accounts.

Brookfield Investment Management Inc. ("Brookfield") serves as the Fund's
Sub-Advisor. Brookfield is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset
Management, a global alternative asset manager with over $184 billion in assets
under management as of March 31, 2013. Brookfield Asset Management has over a
100-year history of owning and operating assets with a focus on property,
renewable power, infrastructure and private equity. The company offers a range
of public and private investment products and services, which leverage its
expertise and experience and provide it with a competitive advantage in the
markets where it operates. On behalf of its clients, Brookfield Asset Management
is also an active investor in the public securities markets, where its
experience extends over 30 years. Over this time, the company has successfully
developed several investment operations and built expertise in the management of
institutional portfolios, retail mutual funds, and structured product
investments. Brookfield's public market activities are conducted by Brookfield
Investment Management, a registered investment advisor. These activities
complement Brookfield Asset Management's core competencies and include global
listed real estate and infrastructure equities, corporate high yield
investments, opportunistic credit strategies and a dedicated insurance asset
management division. Headquartered in New York, NY, Brookfield Investment
Management maintains offices and investment teams in Toronto, Chicago, Boston
and London and has over $10 billion of assets under management as of March 31,
2013.

If you have questions about the Funds that you would like answered on the call,
please email your questions to cefquestions@ftadvisors.com and refer to FHY by
Thursday, July 25, 2013, 6:00 P.M Eastern Time.

Past performance is no assurance of future results. Investment return and market
value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate. Shares, when sold, may be
worth more or less than their original cost.

Principal Risk Factors: Investment in this Fund involves investment and market
risk, management risk, value investing risk, below-investment grade securities
risk, fixed-income securities risk, mortgage-backed securities risk,
asset-backed securities risk, convertible securities risk, municipal securities
risk, non-U.S. securities risk, non-U.S. government securities risk, equity
securities risk, currency risk, distressed securities risk, preferred stock
risk, inflation/deflation risk, market discount risk, leverage risk, derivatives
risk, market disruption risk, portfolio turnover risk, and illiquid/restricted
securities risk.

Below-investment grade securities are commonly referred to as "high-yield" or
"junk" bonds and are considered speculative with respect to the issuer's
capacity to pay interest and repay principal and are susceptible to default or
decline in market value due to adverse economic and business developments. The
market values for high-yield securities tend to be very volatile, and these
securities are less liquid than investment grade debt securities. For these
reasons, your investment in the Fund is subject to the following specific risks:
(a) increased price sensitivity to changing interest rates and to a
deteriorating economic environment; (b) greater risk of loss due to default or
declining credit quality; (c) adverse company specific events are more likely to
render the issuer unable to make interest and/or principal payments; and (d) a
negative perception of the high-yield market may depress the price and liquidity
of high-yield securities.

The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the prospectus,
shareholder reports and other regulatory filings.

The Fund's daily closing New York Stock Exchange price and net asset value per
share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by
calling 1-800-988-5891.


CONTACT: JEFF MARGOLIN -- (630) 915-6784


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Source:  First Trust Advisors L.P.