Due to the special attention that many children with disabilities require, their parents have difficulty finding qualified and affordable childcare. For example, the parent of a child who is fed through a tube cannot simply call the neighborhood babysitter. Similarly, the parent of a teenager with cerebral palsy, who needs to be lifted to and from the toilet or the bed, cannot rely on their oldest child to provide safe childcare.

HEARTS Respite is available for families who have a child 21 or under with special needs and is funded by the Children's Trust Fund of Alabama. This is a voucher program where the family selects, hires and trains a suitable respite caregiver for their child and will request a Respite Voucher (available each quarter). The family member will pay the caregiver for the service then submit a Service Report for reimbursement, after which UCP of Mobile writes a check to the family to cover the cost of the respite service up to the amount approved each quarter.

HEARTS Respite Program services the following counties: Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Clark, Washington, Monroe, Lowndes, Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, Bullock, Butler, Crenshaw, Pike, Barbour, Conecuh, Covington, Coffee, Dale, Henry, Geneva, and Houston.