A person with a disability is a person with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, which prevents complete and effective participation in society on equal terms with others. Development of philosophy of inclusion and the human rights model meant that people with disabilities are not recipients of merit but holders of their own right. It takes into account the diversity of all people and focuses on changing attitudes that used to marginalize people with disabilities. The concept of independent living focuses on the goal of making a person with disabilities independent of certain institutional forms of care, and on the other hand, giving them strength to take control of their lives and decisions. The Personal Assistance Institute derives from the latter concept as the right to help people in their daily activities. Assistance is individualized, the relationship is based on co-operation, but with the addition of encouragement to recognize one's own capabilities and constraints and taking over their own control. The Personal Assistance Institute has been recognized in numerous documents such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Official Gazette, 63/07) and a very important Article 19 that obliges United States’ Parties to provide the right to choose a place of residence without imposing a way and used services to assist in achieving independence. Croatia has been implementing the Convention through the National Strategy of the Unity Policy for Persons with Disabilities since 2003, including the Pilot Personal Assistant Project in co-operation with associations of persons with disabilities.