Note 15 - Earnings Per Share - Computation of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($)
$ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Sep. 30, 2016
Jun. 30, 2016
Mar. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
 [7],[8],[9],[10]
Sep. 30, 2015
 [5],[8]
Jun. 30, 2015
 [5],[8]
Mar. 31, 2015
 [5],[8]
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Numerator:                      
Net income attributable to Providence $ 84,420 [1],[2],[3],[4] $ 650 [1],[5],[6] $ 4,623 [1],[5] $ 2,235 [1],[5] $ 76,396 $ (5,571) $ 6,634 $ 6,236 $ 91,928 $ 83,696 $ 20,275
Less dividends on convertible preferred stock                 (4,419) (3,935)
Less accretion of convertible preferred stock discount                 (1,071)
Less income allocated to participating securities                 (13,135) (10,691)
Net income available to common stockholders                 74,374 67,999 20,275
Operations                 $ 74,374 $ 67,999 $ 20,275
Denominator:                      
Denominator for basic earnings per share -- weighted-average shares (in shares)                 14,666,896 15,960,905 14,765,303
Effect of dilutive securities:                      
Denominator for diluted earnings per share -- adjusted weighted-average shares assumed conversion (in shares)                 14,666,896 15,960,905 15,018,561
Basic earnings (loss) per common share:                      
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)                 $ (1.45) $ (1.83) $ 1.66
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)                 6.52 6.09 (0.29)
(in dollars per share) $ 4.92 $ (0.05) $ 0.21 $ 0.07 $ 4.05 [11] $ (0.41) [11] $ 0.26 [11] $ 0.32 [11] 5.07 4.26 1.37
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:                      
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)                 (1.45) (1.83) 1.63
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)                 6.52 6.09 (0.28)
(in dollars per share) $ 4.92 [1],[2],[3],[4],[11] $ (0.05) [1],[5],[6],[11] $ 0.21 [1],[5],[11] $ 0.07 [1],[5],[11] $ 4.05 [11] $ (0.41) [11] $ 0.26 [11] $ 0.32 [11] $ 5.07 $ 4.26 $ 1.35
Employee Stock Option [Member]                      
Effect of dilutive securities:                      
Common stock options (in shares)                 236,538
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]                      
Effect of dilutive securities:                      
Performance-based restricted stock units (in shares)                 16,720
Continuing Operations [Member]                      
Numerator:                      
Net income available to common stockholders                 $ (21,251) $ (29,181) $ 24,511
Operations                 (21,251) (29,181) 24,511
Discontinued Operations [Member]                      
Numerator:                      
Net income available to common stockholders                 95,625 97,180 (4,236)
Operations                 $ 95,625 $ 97,180 $ (4,236)
[1] Includes equity in net loss of investee of $2,717, $1,459, $1,544 and $2,801, for the quarters ending March 31, 2016, June 30, 2016, September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2016, respectively, related to the Company's investment in Mission Providence. Includes equity in net loss of investee of $1,789, for the quarter ending December 31, 2016, related to the Company’s investment in Matrix.
[2] Includes gain on loss of controlling interest in Matrix, net of tax, of $109,403.
[3] Service revenue, net for the quarter ending December 31, 2016 decreased from the quarter ended September 30, 2016 primarily due to decreased revenue associated with the WD Services' National Citizen Service summer youth programs, which are seasonal in nature. Additionally, the quarter ended September 30, 2016 included revenue of $5,367 under the WD Services' offender rehabilitation program related to the finalization of a contractual adjustment for the contract years ending March 31, 2015 and 2016.
[4] The Company recorded an asset impairment charge of $1,415 related to the building and land utilized by the holding company, which was sold effective December 30, 2016. Also, the Company recorded asset impairment charges in its WD Services segment of $9,983, $4,381 and $5,224 to its property and equipment, intangible assets and goodwill, respectively.
[5] The Company classified interest expense, net of tax, of $221, $236 and $229 for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2016, June 30, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively, and $251, $246 and $252 for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2015, June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2015, respectively, to Discontinued Operations. Such amounts were previously classified as continuing operations in the Company's Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2016. These amounts relate to the finalization of interest expense allocated to discontinued operations associated with the debt that was required to be repaid upon the completion of the Matrix stock subscription transaction.
[6] The Company recorded expenses, net of tax, of $5,035 in Discontinued operations, net of tax, in the quarter ending September 30, 2016 related to the Company’s former Human Services segment, which are principally related to an ongoing legal matter.
[7] Includes a gain due to a reduction in the estimated fair value of contingent consideration of $2,469 in 2015 related to the Ingeus acquisition.
[8] Includes equity in net loss of investee of $2,483, $1,059, $4,465 and $2,962, for the quarters ending March 31, 2015, June 30, 2015, September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2015, respectively, related to the Company's investment in Mission Providence which incurred significant start-up costs during 2015.
[9] Includes gain on disposition, net of tax, of $100,332, in relation to the sale of the Company's Human Services segment.
[10] The Company incurred $20,944 of expense related to restricted shares and cash placed into escrow at the time of the Ingeus acquisition. The shares and cash were placed into escrow concurrent with the payment of the acquisition consideration paid for Ingeus; however, because two sellers of Ingeus remained employees post acquisition, the value of the shares and cash was recognized as compensation expense over the escrow term. Acceleration of this expense was triggered when the two sellers separated from the Company.
[11] Earnings per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of quarterly earnings per share may not equal the total computed for the year.