How One Woman's Cycle of Incarceration and Mental Illness Helped Heal a Rural System

Marlene Baker lives in Siskiyou County. It’s vast and remote: 6,000 square miles home to just shy of 44,000 people. Marlene has lived with mental illness for years, and that kept her on the streets for a very long time. She racked up minor arrests, cycling through jail and back onto the streets. A similar crisis plays out across California, but rural areas face specific and profound challenges. In Marlene’s case, though, something big happened: A whole bunch of people teamed up to make sure she could heal right there in the community – without getting shipped off to a state mental hospital hundreds of miles away. And, it turns out, her success has helped bring about some bold changes in the way Siskiyou County is confronting its mental health crisis. Reporter Lee Romney has been following Marlene’s story since 2019. She checked in on her recently, and brings us this excerpt from a podcast-in-production she produced with Jenny Johnson called “November In My Soul.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices