18Location of specialist disability accommodation

18 Location of specialist disability accommodation

(1) For the purposes of determining under subsection 15(1) the area in which the specialist disability accommodation for an eligible participant is to be located, the CEO must have regard to the following matters: (a) the eligible participant’s preference, if the eligible participant’s preference: (i) can be established; and (ii) aligns with the eligible participant’s statement of goals and aspiration; and (iii) is important to the eligible participant’s support needs and for one or more of the matters mentioned in paragraph (e) or (f) or paragraph 16(h), (i), (k), (l) or (m); (b) the extent to which the location would assist the eligible participant to pursue the goals, objectives and aspirations in the eligible participant’s statement of goals and aspirations; (c) features of the location, including the accessibility of community services; (d) where the eligible participant currently lives and the history of where the eligible participant has lived, including any recent changes; (e) the extent to which the location would facilitate past, established or planned connections or the continuation of existing connections, in particular cultural and community connections; (f) the extent to which the location would be likely to facilitate social and economic participation, in particular how the location would impact on the eligible participant’s ability to engage in the life of the household and community; (g) whether the location represents value for money, having regard to the extent to which the location will: (i) facilitate or sustain informal support, and the extent to which informal supports would reduce the cost of other supports; and (ii) facilitate or hinder the provision of other supports required by the eligible participant; and (iii) facilitate access to mainstream supports or specialist services required by the eligible participant. (2) The area determined by the CEO for the purposes of subsection 15(1) must be: (a) an area designated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as a Statistical Area Level 4 under the Australian Statistical Geography Standard; or (b) a part of an area of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a); or (c) 2 or more areas of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a).