Document And Entity Information - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Feb. 24, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Cover page.
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Registrant Name	Providence Service Corp
Entity Central Index Key	0001220754
Trading Symbol	PRSC
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)		13,025,727
Entity Public Float			$ 668.8
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-34221
City Area Code	404
Local Phone Number	888-5800
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Items 10 through 14 in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K: the registrant's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A relating to the registrant's 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders; provided that if such proxy statement is not filed on or before April 30, 2020, such information will be included in an amendment to this Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on or before such date.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	86-0845127
Entity Address, Address Line One	1275 Peachtree Street
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Sixth Floor
Entity Address, City or Town	Atlanta
Entity Address, State or Province	GA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	30309
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Document Annual Report	true