Teen escort services — also called assisted transport or adolescent transport — move a young person from home to a treatment program when they will not go voluntarily. You are handing your child to strangers for a day. These are the checks that separate a professional company from one you should walk away from.
P.U.R.E. does not operate transport and is paid by none of the companies that do. What follows is what we tell families to ask.
Free · No fee to families
Not sure what your teen actually needs?
We’re parent advocates, not a program. Since 2001 we’ve helped families work out which option fits — residential treatment, a therapeutic boarding school, a transitional program, or none of them yet. We’re paid by no one you’re choosing between.
26 years helping families · Featured on TODAY, CNN, FOX & Psychology Today
The ten questions to ask before you book
- What licensing do you hold, and in which states? Requirements vary by state and some have none at all. Ask what applies where you live and where you are going, and ask for the license number.
- Are you insured, and for what? Ask for a certificate of insurance, not a reassurance.
- What is your restraint policy? In writing. Which method, who is trained in it, when it is permitted, and how every incident is documented and reported to you.
- How are agents screened? Background checks, driving records, references — and how recently.
- What training do agents complete, how long is it, and who accredits it? “Experienced” is not a training standard.
- How many agents will travel, and what are their genders? Two is standard. A same-gender agent is usually appropriate and worth requesting.
- What happens if my teen refuses to move? The answer describes how the company actually works.
- What is the medical protocol? Medication administration, existing conditions, and what happens if your teen becomes unwell in transit.
- What will you tell my teen about me? You will live with the answer for a long time afterwards.
- Who pays you, besides me? If a program or consultant refers business to this company or receives a fee, you should know before you book.
Any company that will not answer these in writing has answered them.
Red flags
- No written restraint policy, or reluctance to share it
- Vagueness about licensing or insurance
- Pressure to book immediately, or a price that expires
- Marketing that leans on fear rather than on competence
- No named person accountable for the transport
- An unwillingness to speak to the receiving program before the day
Free · No fee to families
Not sure what your teen actually needs?
We’re parent advocates, not a program. Since 2001 we’ve helped families work out which option fits — residential treatment, a therapeutic boarding school, a transitional program, or none of them yet. We’re paid by no one you’re choosing between.
26 years helping families · Featured on TODAY, CNN, FOX & Psychology Today
What a good transport actually looks like
Calm, planned and unremarkable. Two agents who introduce themselves, explain plainly what is happening, and talk far more than they do anything else. Most transports involve no physical intervention at all — the professional skill is de-escalation. A company that presents restraint as routine is describing a different service than the one you want.
For what happens on the day and what it costs, see teen transport to residential treatment.
Before you book at all
Transport is a tool, not a first step. It is worth asking whether a different conversation, a different person making the case, or a short delay would get your teen there willingly — a teen who arrives having agreed to go usually starts better. See when your teen refuses to go.
P.U.R.E. is a parent advocacy service. Since 2001 we have helped families work through this decision, we are paid by none of the transport companies or programs, and there is no fee to your family.
Common questions
What is the difference between a teen escort and teen transport?
Nothing meaningful — the terms are used interchangeably for the same service. “Escort” is the older term; “assisted transport” is what most companies now call it.
How much do teen escort companies charge?
It varies with distance, flights and how many agents travel. Get the quote in writing and ask what is excluded. It is a separate cost from the program — see what placement costs.
Can I use an escort service for an 18-year-old?
Generally not without their consent. At eighteen participation becomes voluntary, which changes the whole approach — see programs for troubled young adults.
Does the program choose the company, or do I?
You do, though many programs have companies they prefer. Ask why they prefer them, and whether any fee passes between them.
