Luanne Southern, MSW

Luanne Southern is the Chief Behavioral Health Strategist for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.  She has held positions at the national, state, and local levels within the governmental, philanthropic, academic, and non-profit sectors.  She was the Executive Director of the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium, a legislative initiative involving the State’s 12 academic health related institutions who partner with other statewide organizations to improve access to pediatric mental health care through innovative programs such as school-based telehealth and integrated primary and behavioral health. Luanne was the Deputy Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services and worked as a Senior Director at Casey Family Programs, a national operating foundation focused on improving outcomes for youth in foster care. Luanne has extensive knowledge of and experience in children’s mental health policy, finance, and evidence-based practices. She has been a leader in the development of innovative services and financing mechanisms to improve access to community-based children’s mental health care at the state and local level. Ms. Southern holds a Master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a member of the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission.