Kewaunee County individuals and families struggling with substance abuse and other challenges will have a safe place to turn in the future after county officials approved the purchase of a wraparound house in Casco on Tuesday.

By a 16-4 vote, the county approved purchasing the home on Hyland Court from the Village of Casco for $300,000 using funds primarily obtained through settlements with opioid manufacturers.

Wraparound houses provide a support network for individuals and families with complex needs, including behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders and other issues. The hope is that the wraparound house will help people recover from opioid addiction, regain stability and get their lives back on track.

Kewaunee County Board Chair Dan Olson was one of the four "no" votes. He questioned what the county would do with the house if the program is unsuccessful and argued that the money from the opioid settlements would be better used for enforcement purposes.

Of the $300,000 being used to purchase the house, $168,000 will come from opioid settlement funds, with the remainder coming from the county's Human Services Department.

The Kewaunee County Board also approved making the county sales tax permanent and appointed Dallas Hubbard as the new county veterans service officer during Tuesday's meeting.