Michael Leach, MA, is the State Director for the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Leach served with the Department of Children’s Services for more than 10 years, most recently as the Deputy Commissioner of Child Programs. There, he also served as Executive Director of the Office of Continuous Quality Improvement; Director of Performance and Quality Improvement; Director of Independent Living and Director of System Integrations. Mr. Leach has done extensive public speaking related to his experience with the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) tool, Extension of Foster Care and helped the child welfare agency maintain accreditation through the Council on Accreditation. Mr. Leach was also a therapist at the Vanderbilt Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic in Tennessee and has experience in facilitating crisis response services at a community mental health center and case management in congregate care.