A/HRC/34/58 disseminate information about the obligations of States and service providers, provide assistance in recruitment and budgeting, facilitate support groups and train those who wish to become assistants. They can also foster participatory processes for developing ethical principles and practice guidance. While personal assistants may not require specialized preparation, States should ensure they have adequate training in order to provide safe and quality support. For example, in the Republic of Korea, the Act on Personal Assistance Services for Persons with Disabilities specifies the qualifications, human resources and service providers relating to the provision of personal assistance. 5. Living independently in the community 84. Under article 19 (2) of the Convention States are required to ensure access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services for persons with disabilities. The ultimate aim of this provision is to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community. Persons with disabilities should have the opportunity to choose where and with whom to live, and not be obliged to live in a particular living arrangement such as psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes or other institutions. Moreover, States have an obligation to facilitate the transition of persons with disabilities from those facilities to home- and community-based residences and to provide urgent aid to persons with disabilities who are at risk of becoming homeless or being institutionalized. 85. Persons with psychosocial disabilities can benefit significantly from community support services. Peer support, for example, is an effective tool to support people experiencing severe emotional distress and prevent coercion in mental health services, as well as providing them with community-based support. In the case of persons with albinism, the provision of adequate housing and community support are essential protection measures to prevent abductions and attacks. Contributions to the present report show a growing interest on the part of States in community support. In Chile, for example, the State created a programme that funds civil society organizations to provide support services for independent living. During its first year of existence, 40 projects were financed in 13 of the 15 regions of the country. 86. States should close all group living arrangement for persons with disabilities of any size that do not allow residents to participate in the community on an equal basis with others. In particular, States must establish an immediate moratorium on new admissions to institutions and set up a policy framework to guide deinstitutionalization processes. This framework should include the adoption of a plan of action with clear timelines and concrete benchmarks, the redistribution of public funds from institutions to community services and the development of adequate community support for persons with disabilities such as housing assistance, home support, peer support and respite services. Evidence shows that, when adequately planned and resourced, community services are much more cost-effective than institutional care.20 6. General services 87. General services, such as education, employment, justice and health, as well as other community services and social protection programmes, must consider the provision of support to persons with disabilities. Similarly, programmes to end domestic violence should include appropriate forms of gender- and age-sensitive assistance and support for girls and women with disabilities. States should budget and plan for such measures when designing 20 20 WHO and World Bank, World Report on Disability, p. 149.