|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster named attorney Anthony Catone as the acting director of the Palmetto State’s Department of Social Services (SCDSS) following the resignation of its former director, Michael Leach.
Prior to his promotion to acting agency head, Catone served as SCDSS’ general counsel. He will serve in this new role “until a new director is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.”
When Leach took the mantle of this agency five years ago, he assumed control of a bureaucracy described by this media outlet as an absolute “dumpster fire.” At the time, FITSNews reported on allegations of questionable consultant payments and allegations of cooked books at the agency’s “welfare to work” program.
FITSNews noted Leach appeared to be making progress in his efforts to reform the agency, an assessment some of his former subordinates seem to concur with.
Leach shared a number of messages sent to him by SCDSS employees on social media platform X. One subordinate said they could not “believe how much you have done to change the culture here at DSS and the entire state for the better.” According to this unnamed 26-year agency veteran, what Leach did to “improve morale and (the) work environment of the existing staff has been incredible.”
***
Use life to make a difference. pic.twitter.com/jmIhWipOxi
— Michael Leach (@hardyleach) January 2, 2025
***
When Leach announced his intention to resign in late October 2024, he vowed to “do everything in my power to ensure a smooth transition of my responsibilities.”
Leach’s resignation announcement came just days after an employee walkout at a Midlands-area SCDSS facility – a protest prompted by a vandalism incident and widespread difficulties in finding placements for juvenile wards of the state.
“Employees all over the state are having to spend the night with kids at DSS offices because placements can’t be located” one source familiar with the incident told FITSNews.
Catone released a statement telling agency employees his top priority as acting director is “to continue the positive reform trajectory we have forged under director Michael Leach.”
“We will continue to improve our service quality and effectiveness with respect to all those we serve, and foremost will be the large-scale reform efforts in our state’s foster care system,” Catone wrote. “There has been good progress made by strategic thinking of DSS leadership and thanks to additional financial supports from the General Assembly, but there remains much work to be done.”
***
Beyond the state’s foster care system, Catone indicated his intent to “strengthen our adult protective services capacity” as well as “provide supports for households needing assistance with food.”
Catone has been a member of SCDSS’ executive leadership for a decade.
On his way out, Leach took a parting shot at the Palmetto State’s notoriously ineffective governmental institutions, saying he looks “forward to the day that DSS is no longer the catch-all agency to catch individuals and families that fall through the cracks due to lack of services, lack of coordination and lack of empathy.”
Leach was tapped for the SCDSS job in 2019 by McMaster, although as FITSNews 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 last spring, while McMaster is term-limited and will conclude his governorship in January 2027.
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: Travis Bell)
Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
