RAYMONDVILLE – Willacy County is supporting a plan to create a private mental health facility that’ll help keep people with mental problems out of jail.

Commissioners gave their support Thursday morning for the plan.

The facility, called Inspired at La Jarra Ranch, would take advantage of the recently passed House Bill 13.

The law gives judges the option to send people with mental health issues to a mental health facility rather than a jail.

“You can see that every day they’re not in your jail. That’s one less day of medication that you have to pay for. That’s one less day of food that you have to pay for in the jail,” said project manager Richard Morrison.

That organizer told the court the facility allows the county to save money on jail time and prescription costs for inmates.

He says the facility would come at no cost to the county.