| Business segments | 
        
 
		
			2. Business segments 
		 
		
			        The Company is organized and managed based upon the services it provides. We operate in two business segments, Health Services and Human Services. The results of these segments for the three years ended September 30, 2014 are shown below (in thousands): 
		 
		
			                                                                                                                                                                                                              
		 
		
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						Year ended September 30,  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2014  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2013  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2012  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Revenue: 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Health Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,250,565
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
862,879
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
671,181
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Human Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
450,347
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
468,400
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
378,964
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,700,912
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,331,279
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,050,145
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Gross Profit: 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Health services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
325,559
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
248,100
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
172,456
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Human Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
126,564
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
137,933
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
115,487
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
452,123
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
386,033
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
287,943
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Selling, general and administrative expense: 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Health Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
150,181
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
118,266
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
91,837
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Human Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
76,022
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
79,842
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
65,565
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Acquisition-related expenses 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						— 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
2,168
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
2,876
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Legal and settlement expenses /(recoveries), net 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
596
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(202
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
90
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Other 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
16
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
804
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
241
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
226,815
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
200,878
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
160,609
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Operating income 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Health Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
175,378
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
129,834
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
80,619
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Human Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
50,542
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
58,091
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
49,922
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Acquisition-related expenses 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						— 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(2,168
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(2,876
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Legal and settlement recoveries / (expenses), net 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(596
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
202
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(90
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Other 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(16
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(804
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
(241
				 | 
				
					 
						) 
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
225,308
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
185,155
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
127,334
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Depreciation and amortization: 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Health Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
36,740
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
20,846
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
16,908
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Human Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
11,928
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
14,970
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
9,552
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
48,668
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
35,816
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
26,460
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
		  
		
			        Acquisition-related expenses are costs directly incurred from the purchases of HML in 2013 and PSI in 2012, as well as any unsuccessful transactions. No significant costs were incurred in the acquisition of Centacare. Legal and settlement expenses (recoveries), net consists of costs, net of reimbursed insurance claims, related to significant legal settlements and non-routine legal matters, including future probable legal costs estimated to be incurred in connection with those matters. Legal expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business are included in their respective business segments. 
		 
		
			        We operate primarily in the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. 
		 
		
			        Our revenue was distributed as follows (in thousands): 
		 
		
			                                                                                                                                                                                                               
		 
		
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						Year ended September 30,  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2014  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2013  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2012  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						United States 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,306,026 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
999,419 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
775,871 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Australia 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
170,727 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
157,383 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
163,482 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Rest of World 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
224,159 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
174,477 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
110,792 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,700,912 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,331,279 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
1,050,145 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
		  
		
			        Identifiable assets for the segments are shown below (in thousands): 
		 
		
			                                                                                                                                                                                                               
		 
		
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						Year Ended September 30,  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2014  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2013  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Health Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
511,188 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
518,914 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Human Services 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
152,243 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
221,604 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Corporate / Other 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
237,565 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
117,460 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
900,996 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
857,978 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
		  
		
			        Our long-lived assets, consisting of property and equipment, capitalized software costs and deferred compensation plan assets, were distributed as follows (in thousands): 
		 
		
			                                                                                                                                                                                                               
		 
		
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						Year Ended September 30,  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2014  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						2013  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						United States 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
93,500 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
88,812 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Canada 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
27,043 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
24,135 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Australia 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
8,769 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
9,459 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Rest of World 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
7,794 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
6,074 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						Total 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
137,106 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						$ 
				 | 
				
128,480 
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
			
				| 
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
				
					 
						  
				 | 
			 
		  
		
			 
		 
		  
	   
 |