Fantozzi hopes to bring mental health issues into the foreground

Touting a background in mental and public health, Amy Fantozzi, newly minted county health board representative, said she would use science to guide her decisions on the panel.

Libby City Councilors approved Fantozzi as the municipality’s representative on the commission during a March 15 meeting. During a follow-up interview two days later, Fantozzi said she would rely on valid healthcare information from reputable organizations rather than potential misinformation circulating online and on social media.

When it comes to public health measures meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Fantozzi said she would promote guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While she understands some residents might feel frustrated about wearing masks, she backs the practice as a way to shield vulnerable members of the community from the virus.

“I get it — I don’t like wearing masks,” she said. “But I wear a mask to protect other people.”

In recent months, residents have called on the health board to oust Public Health Officer Brad Black. Black became the target of unrest after instituting a countywide mask mandate last July. The measure largely mirrored a mandate enacted by then Gov. Steve Bullock and expired before Gov. Greg Gianforte lifted the statewide directive.

As a new addition to the board, Fantozzi said she would need more information before she could decide how to act if a motion to unseat Black came before the panel. As of yet, though, she said she had not seen Black take any action deserving of ouster.

While Fantozzi deemed the pandemic a top public health priority, she said she would like to see the board devote more attention to other pressing issues in Lincoln County.

In recent years, Fantozzi said she had seen a progressive decline in the community’s mental health and an uptick in substance abuse. As a therapist with Western Montana Mental Health Center, a member of the county mental health coalition and a former employee of the county public health department, she hopes to draw on her background to help the board address these concerns.

Working with local patients, Fantozzi said she has noticed that isolation is a big source of mental health issues. She has found that some pandemic-related measures have made patients feel more isolated. For example, mask requirements, while important for mitigating the spread of the virus, have prompted some of her clients to spend more time at home and lose connection with their community.

Some of Fantozzi’s ideas for mitigating local mental health issues include increasing public transportation and bolstering housing options.

Many people with disabilities or mental health issues have trouble getting around Lincoln County. Fantozzi said that roughly 50 percent of her clients don’t have a car or can’t drive. While on the board, Fantozzi said she would like to have discussions on how to address the county’s homeless population.

In preparation to represent Libby on the panel, Fantozzi said she was working to get up to speed on all the issues the board is tasked with. Having spent 15 years raising kids in Lincoln County, Fantozzi wants to help make the area a place where her children would like to return after completing their education.

“I’m super passionate about this community,” she said.