Imprint Author

Mike Leach

Mike Leach is the chief external engagement officer for Think of Us. He is the former director of the South Carolina Department of Social Services.

1/12/2026

The Promise and Peril for Child Welfare in the 2026 Election Cycle

Mike Leach notes the number of gubernatorial races coming up in 2026 election cycle and the gravity of those contests on child welfare.

12/18/2025

Foster Care Review Boards Were Meant to Help. In Practice, They Often Harm.

What if Foster Care Review Boards could become what they were meant to be: a community voice for families?

We Need Alignment on Accountability in Child Welfare

5/5/2025

We Need Alignment on Accountability in Child Welfare

Mike Leach asks: When oversight is a maze of disconnected regulations, are we protecting children, or making it harder for the system to work?

We Need Alignment on Accountability in Child Welfare

2/17/2025

Why Child Welfare Reforms Must Focus on Organizational Health

When child welfare systems are scrutinized in the wake of lawsuits and investigations, the path to reform is often dictated by measurable outcomes such as caseload sizes, placement stability, health visits and timely permanency for children.