Austin State Hospital

Austin State Hospital
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The former State Lunatic Asylum is now the administration building for the Austin State Hospital campus.
Location	4110 Guadalupe Austin, Texas, USA
Coordinates
Built	1857
Architect	Charles Payne
Architectural style	Classical Revival
NRHP Reference #	87002115
Added to NRHP	December 4, 1987

Austin State Hospital (ASH), formerly known as the State Lunatic Asylum, is the oldest psychiatric hospital in the state of Texas, operated by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Established by the Legislature in 1856, it began operating in 1861 with twelve patients. The name was changed in 1925.

The Hospital is the subject of a history by Sarah C. Sitton, Life at the Texas State Lunatic Asylum 1857 - 1997, published by the Texas A&M University Press in 1999 as Number 82 in the Centennial Series.

The Austin State Hospital (ASH) mission is "partnering to find solutions toward wellness." The 299-bed facility is located in the heart of Austin, Texas. Programs such as Peer Support and "SHAC at ASH" are helping bridge the gap between inpatient and outpatient treatment. By partnering with NAMI-Austin, SHAC, and other organizations that share the ASH mission, the hospital is creating new opportunities for patients to build social networks and hope for recovery.

Austin State Hospital's Volunteer Services Council (VSC) is a 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to improving the lives of adults and children at the hospital. The VSC conducts fundraiser and donation programs and helps build community awareness about mental illness and the role of Austin State Hospital in the treatment of mental illness.

Gallery

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  Entrance to the Austin State Hospital

External links

• Austin State Hospital
• Austin State Hospital from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Disability History in Texas
• Austin State Hospital Volunteer Services Council
• Austin State Hospital Cemeteries Index
• Asylum Projects info