Clarence Sutton, founder of CTS Health Foster Care, has dedicated his career to supporting at-risk youth and communities. A former Chicago Bears player, he transitioned into juvenile justice and later law enforcement before entering the mental health field. He founded CTSHealth, Inc., providing mental and behavioral healthcare and foster care services in NC, SC, and Illinois. Passionate about community impact, Clarence is also the author of Why Not Me? and Is It Us?, sharing his journey of resilience, redemption, and service.

Leah was born and raised in Central New York. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Le Moyne College, Leah started working with a non-profit as a Mental Health Case Manager. She moved with her family to NC in 2004 where she continued to work as a Mental Health Case Manager for adults and children. Leah began working as a Foster Care Case Manager in 2006. It was here that she realized she was passionate about ensuring all children in foster care were safe, loved, and thriving. Today, Leah is the Executive Director of Foster Care. In addition she is a mom of four children, and a proud Meme of three grandchildren!

With a passion for nurturing potential and driving change, Ja’Nae serves as the Supervisor of the Therapeutic Foster Care Department. She oversees a dynamic team of care coordinators committed to providing supportive care to both foster parents and foster youth. Through leadership and innovation, Ja’Nae focuses on developing sustainable programs that enhance the therapeutic foster care experience for both youth and caregivers. Her expertise in child development and trauma-informed practices ensures that every child in the program receives the support they deserve on their journey to healing, growth and empowerment

Sanai Huggins is a dedicated and compassionate IAFT foster care supervisor with a deep commitment to supporting children and families within our community. Driven by a strong belief in fairness and equity, she works to ensure every child’s needs are met while maintaining a balanced approach to helping foster parents navigate the complexities of the system. Sanai fosters an environment of trust and open communication, helping families build strong, supportive connections. By balancing compassion with fairness, she strives to ensure that every decision is made with the best interests of the children at heart, while also recognizing the unique needs and challenges of foster families. She is an advocate for positive change, always striving to ensure a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment for every child under her care.

Merdlyn Matthews joined CTS Health in July 2019. She oversees our residential services in foster care. Merdlyn brings 15 years of experience in human services, including child welfare, crisis response, and mental health organizations in North Carolina and South Carolina. With a Masters in Health Services and Administration and Bachelors in Psychology, she has led programs, launched new service, and implemented trauma-informed care models. She provides leadership and guidance to CTS Health members. Merdlyn chose CTS Health because she believes in the mission of the organization “to improve the lives of individuals, we treat through whole person integrated care”. She is grateful to have one biological daughter and two foster girls and is thrilled to be a part of an organization that is making a difference in so many lives.

Melissa joined CTS in 2015. She started out as a Licensing Specialist and accepted the Licensing Supervisor role 3 years ago. She has 4 Licensing Specialists that work in the Licensing Dept along with her. Melissa has made an impact on building strong foster parents and implementing training and involvement for the foster parents to have all the tools necessary to be successful in raising the children in their homes. While with CTS Health, she raised 3 children, acquired 2 dogs and stayed a forever Gamecock fan. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of South Carolina.