Helen Cloud Austin earned local and national recognition for her accomplishments and dedication as a social worker at the San Antonio State Hospital. Austin was only the second black student ever to attend the University of Louisville’s Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work. After earning her Masters of Science degree in 1953, Austin was hired as a social worker at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Austin moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1957 and became Chief of the Outpatient Department at Longview State Hospital. In 1962, Austin’s husband, a civil service worker, was transferred to Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio. After moving to Texas, Austin applied to the San Antonio State Hospital for a social work position, but was denied employment due to a “No blacks hired as professional” policy. Austin, however, found professional work in the private sector. In 1965, with the help of Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, the racist policy was lifted, and Austin became the first African-American professional hired at the San Antonio State Hospital.
Austin cultivated a rewarding career at San Antonio State Hospital, spearheading several new programs as Chief of the Social Services Department. Among the first programs started by Austin was an orientation for newly admitted patients. In 1968, Austin started the SASH-Mobile program, providing bus rides from Nueces County to San Antonio for family and friends of patients. Splash for SASH was another program started by Austin to organize beach trips to Corpus Christi for patients and their family and friends. In 1980, Austin also organized efforts encouraging short-term patients to register and vote in political elections.
Austin’s accomplishments were formally recognized in 1983 when she was declared San Antonio Social Worker of the Year and Texas’ State Social Worker of the Year. In 1984, Austin was honored as the nation’s Social Worker of the Year by the 94,000-member National Association of Social Workers, making her the first Texan to receive all three awards. The city organized a large send-off at the San Antonio airport before Austin departed to accept her award at the National Health Conference in Washington, D.C. U.S. Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez escorted Austin to the ceremony and read a tribute to her in Congress, which is published in the Congressional Record of June 11, 1984. Among other prestigious honors, Austin was inducted into the San Antonio Hall of Fame in 1985. In addition, Austin was one of fifteen women included in a 1989 booklet sponsored by the National Council of Negro Women entitled Salute to Black Women Who Make Things Happen .
After nearly 23 years of service, Austin retired from the San Antonio State Hospital in 1987, but remained active in the field of social work and in other community organizations. Austin continued to volunteer at the San Antonio State Hospital, and served on the Advisory Committee of the Hogg Foundation, and as the President of the Board of Directors for the San Antonio Halfway House, Inc. Austin also served on the Boards of the Bexar County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center, Greater San Antonio Mental Health Association, and Wesley Community Center. Austin continued to be an active member at St. Paul United Methodist Church where she started the Senior Citizen Ministry. In addition, Austin continued her activities with the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. A member of the sorority since 1945, Austin served as President of the San Antonio Alumnae Chapter from 1970-1972.
From the guide to the Helen Cloud Austin Papers MS 61., 1944-2010, (University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections)
