Courtney Tindall honored for leadership in Solano County dependency drug courts

Courtney Tindall, Senior Case Manager for Dependency Drug Court at the Superior Court of California in Solano County, is being recognized for more than two decades of work supporting families affected by substance use disorder and child welfare involvement. Her model has shaped six additional drug courts in the county and helped train the broader network of professionals serving vulnerable families.

Why it matters: - Courtney Tindall’s work has influenced how Solano County supports parents in recovery and families involved in the child welfare system. - Her case-management model has helped shape six additional drug courts in the county. - The program is tied to reunification efforts, recovery support, and longer-term family stability.

What happened: - Courtney Tindall is the Senior Case Manager for Dependency Drug Court at the Superior Court of California, County of Solano. - Influential Women recognized Tindall for transformational leadership in dependency drug courts. - Tindall has more than 20 years of service supporting families impacted by substance use disorder, child welfare involvement, and complex recovery needs. - She joined the court system in 2006 to design and implement Solano County’s first case-managed drug court. - Her career includes 27 years of sobriety and personal experience navigating the child welfare system.

The details: - The original goal of Solano County’s dependency drug court model was to build a structured support system for families in crisis. - The program later evolved into a framework that combines clinical coordination, intensive case management, and crisis intervention services. - The court now treats the model as a foundational part of the county’s broader dependency court system. - Tindall works directly with families during emergency room visits, relapse crises, and other high-stress moments. - Her support also extends to milestones such as higher education, stable housing, first-home purchases, and rebuilding family relationships. - Tindall emphasizes that recovery is sustained through authenticity and human connection. - She often repeats the idea that “the opposite of addiction is connection.” - Her leadership style centers on transparency, compassion, and nonjudgmental engagement.

Between the lines: - Tindall’s approach reflects a broader shift toward peer-informed and lived-experience-based recovery support. - The article frames lived experience not as a background detail, but as part of the service model itself. - That model is designed to reduce system-related trauma and improve engagement with families at critical intervention points. - Colleagues and partners describe Tindall as a leader who combines integrity, resilience, and compassion. - Her mentorship style encourages emerging professionals to practice self-care and maintain boundaries in emotionally demanding work.

What's next: - Tindall plans to keep strengthening systems of care that center dignity, connection, and long-term recovery. - She continues to provide annual workshops and CEU-eligible trainings for child welfare staff, court partners, and Court Appointed Special Advocates. - Her training topics include substance use recovery, co-occurring disorders, motivational interviewing, and drug court program development. - She remains involved in peer support model development that brings people with lived recovery experience into active service roles.

The bottom line: - Tindall’s career shows how professional case management and lived recovery experience can work together to improve family reunification and child welfare outcomes. - Her honors include the Solano Superior Court Customer Service Award, the Henry Berg Award, and Woman of the Year in 2023. - Learn more through her Influential Women profile.