Social Work Alumnae Bruch and Miller Honored by
Austin Branch, NASW/Texas

April 3, 2009

AUSTIN, Texas - University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work alumnae Margaret Bruch and Camille Miller were honored at the 2009 Social Work Month Awards Dinner hosted by the Austin Branch of NASW/Texas on March 11.

Margaret Bruch, LCSW, received the 2009 Social Worker of the Year Award. Bruch is a 1986 graduate of the school's M.S.S.W. program. She is the manager of the Health Screening and Case Management Unit at the Texas Department of State Health Services. In this role, Bruch manages various programs relating to health care and benefits for children including: vision, hearing, spinal screening; genetics; newborn screening and newborn hearing screening, amplification services for children, and case management.

In nomination letters for this award, Bruch was cited for "her deep-rooted commitment to the social work profession and her remarkable advocacy efforts directed at addressing the needs of children and other vulnerable populations" and for her critical role in "developing policy around services provided to Medicaid-eligible children" and her advocacy on behalf of this group of clients.

Bruch's commitment to children with special health care needs has also included volunteer roles with Texas Parent to Parent, Pilot Parent/ARC and the Ronald McDonald House.

Camille Miller, ACSW, a 1972 graduate of the school's M.S.S.W. program and a member of the school's Advisory Council, received the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miller is president and CEO of Texas Health Institute, a think tank for policy research and development. In introducing Miller, NASW/Texas Board Member Barbara Anderson, a clinical associate professor of social work at The University of Texas at Austin, said, "Camille travels the state, engages in community-level, community-driven issue identification that is then transmitted to state leaders and policy makers for legislative and programmatic change. Most recently, Camille has provided leadership on issues of the uninsured, obesity, diabetes, long term care, mental health transformation, and health care workforce."

Miller has held leadership roles in Texas state agencies including the Department of Community Affairs and Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. She also served as an adviser to former Texas Governors Dolph Briscoe and Preston Smith and to former Texas Lieutenant Governors Bill Hobby and Bob Bullock.

"Camille Miller's integrity as a public servant is fueled by her social work values and faith in action, her commitment to serve, and the resonant inspiration of her own School of Social Work mentor and teacher, the late Anne Wilkens, who challenged her to become the great social worker that she is," said Anderson.

Two other awards were also presented by the Austin Branch: State Rep. Patrick Rose (District 45) received the Public Elected Official Award, and Ora Houston received the Public Citizen of the Year Award.

The Austin Branch, in cooperation with NASW/Texas, advocates for social workers, advances the profession of social work, and promotes sound public policy that is designed to ensure basic human needs are met. The Austin Branch of NASW/Texas covers the following counties: Travis, Williamson, Blanco, Hays, Bastrop, Gillespie, Llano, Burnet, Lee, and Caldwell. Schools of Social Work in the Austin Branch include: St. Edward's University (BSW program only), The University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University.

For more information, contact:
Barbara Anderson,
Clinical Associate Professor
(512) 232-7118
barbara.a@mail.utexas.edu