South Carolina Social Services Director Announces Resignation

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The director of South Carolina’s Department of Social Services (SCDSS) is stepping down from his post, according to an email obtained from this media outlet.

Michael Leach – who had been on the job for the past five years – announced the decision in an email sent to agency employees at 9:35 a.m. EDT on Tuesday (October 22, 2024).

“It has been a remarkable journey working alongside such a dedicated team, and I am proud to have contributed to serving our state’s most vulnerable citizens during a chaotic time when help was needed more than ever,” Leach wrote in the email, adding his “decision to resign was not made lightly.”

Leach vowed to “do everything in my power to ensure a smooth transition of my responsibilities,” although the email did not specify an effective date for his resignation. He added that he was “hopeful for the continued success” of the agency and was “excited to see the positive changes that lie ahead.”

The director’s position is a cabinet post, meaning it is one of a handful of executive appointments in the Palmetto State’s dysfunctional government that’s actually made by the state’s constitutionally neutered chief executive.

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Leach was tapped for the SCDSS job in 2019 by governor Henry McMaster, although as we previously reported he was actually picked for the position by state senator Katrina Shealy – who made reforming the agency one of her top legislative priorities.

Shealy was defeated in a GOP primary election this spring and will surrender her seat in the Senate in November. McMaster is term limited and will conclude his status quo governorship in January 2027.

As we noted at the time of his hiring, Leach inherited an absolute dumpster fire at SCDSS and appeared to be making progress in his efforts to reform the agency. Leach was rewarded for his work, too. Last spring, he received a $63,000 raise – bringing his annual taxpayer-funded salary to $250,000 a year, not counting benefits.

Recent weeks have brought with them unfortunate headlines, however, including an employee walkout at a Midlands-area SCDSS facility which followed a vandalism incident involving several juveniles.

“Employees all over the state are having to spend the night with kids at DSS offices because placements can’t be located,” once source familiar with the vandalism incident told us. “These are teens with severe emotional and behavioral issues… the same kids that their own parents can’t handle at home.”

According to our sources, this problem is much bigger than the agency let on… and is not confined to Richland County.

“Kids that need to be in our juvenile justice system are being routinely deposited at SCDSS,” a legislative source familiar with the situation told me. “That needs to be emphasized.”

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THE LETTER…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the owner and founding editor of FITSNews. Prior to founding his own news outlet, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina, bass guitarist in an alternative rock band and bouncer at a Columbia, S.C. dive bar. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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