Helios Strategic Mortgage Income Fund, Inc. and Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. Monthly Dividend Declaration

Helios Strategic Mortgage Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE:HSM) and Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE:HTR) (each, a "Fund," and collectively, the "Funds") today announced that their Boards of Directors declared their monthly dividends.

Helios Strategic Mortgage Income Fund, Inc. declared a monthly dividend of $0.0525 per share, payable on October 27, 2011 to stockholders of record on October 21, 2011. The ex-dividend date is October 19, 2011. Based on the NYSE closing price of $6.08 on October 6, 2011, the Fund's annualized dividend yield was 10.36%.

Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. declared a monthly dividend of $0.0475 per share, payable on October 27, 2011 to stockholders of record on October 21, 2011. The ex-dividend date is October 19, 2011. Based on the NYSE closing price of $5.88 on October 6, 2011, the Fund's annualized dividend yield was 9.69%.

Shares purchased on or after the ex-dividend date will not receive the dividend discussed above. Please contact your financial advisor with any questions. Dividends may include net investment income, capital gains and/or return of capital. The dividend yield referenced above is calculated as the annualized amount of the most recent monthly dividend declared divided by the stated stock price.

Helios Strategic Mortgage Income Fund, Inc. and Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. are managed by Brookfield Investment Management Inc., a global investment manager focused on specialized equity and fixed income securities investments. The firm is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., a global alternative asset manager with approximately $150 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2011 and over 100 years of history in owning and operating assets with a focus on real estate, infrastructure, power and private equity. Brookfield Investment Management Inc. is an SEC-registered investment advisor and with its affiliates, had approximately $24 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2011. Headquartered in New York, the firm maintains offices and investment teams in Chicago, Boston, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Toronto.

The Funds use their web site as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding the Funds is routinely posted on and accessible at www.brookfieldim.com.

Contacts: Helios Strategic Mortgage Income Fund, Inc. Helios Total Return Fund, Inc. Three World Financial Center 200 Vesey Street, 24th Floor New York, NY 10281-1010 (800) [e-mail]