What Core Values and Ethical Standards Do AMATS Members Follow?

AMATS (the Association of Mediation and Transport Services) describes its members as following three core values — accountability, collaboration, and integrity — applied through a stated standard of ethical excellence and safe practice. According to the organization's own mission statement, these values exist to provide "a secure pathway for persons in our care as they begin their journey to healing and recovery." If you are evaluating whether an AMATS-affiliated provider is a credible choice for transporting someone to treatment, these three values are the criteria the association itself puts forward.

The Three Core Values

Accountability

AMATS states that its members "ascribe to the highest standards of safety, responsibility and integrity for the good of the families we serve." In practical terms, this is the value that speaks to how a member handles the physical safety of the person being transported and accepts responsibility for that care. For a family choosing a provider, accountability is the value most directly tied to day-to-day risk: who is responsible if something goes wrong during transit, and what standard are they held to.

Collaboration

Collaboration is described as operating "through our coalition." AMATS members share:

• Educational opportunities
• Training tools
• Legislative updates
• Mental health community initiatives

The stated purpose of this sharing is to enable "a cohesive, integrated approach for the care of those needing assistance with safely traveling to treatment." This matters to families because it suggests a member is not operating in isolation — they have access to shared training and current information through the association.

Integrity

AMATS defines integrity through three qualities: "honesty, transparency and compassion." It describes these as "foundational qualities AMATS Members have grafted together to provide an ethical resource for families, parents and guardians in need." For a parent or guardian researching a transport service, this is the value that maps to how openly a provider communicates — about their process, their role, and what families should expect.

How the Values Fit Together

The overall goal tying these together is a "cohesive, integrated approach" to helping people travel safely to treatment. The values are not presented as separate programs but as a combined standard — the mission statement frames them as the basis for a "secure pathway" for persons in the association's care.

What This Means If You Are Evaluating a Provider

The AMATS values give you specific things to ask about rather than vague assurances:

• On accountability: Ask what safety standards the provider follows and who is responsible for the person during transit.
• On collaboration: Ask whether the provider participates in shared training or community initiatives, since AMATS presents these as member benefits.
• On integrity: Ask for clear, transparent information about the transport process before committing — the association explicitly ties this value to honesty and transparency with families.

Note that these are the standards AMATS states for its members. The association's public description does not include a verification process, complaint mechanism, or list of specific member requirements beyond the values above, so treat the values as the association's stated commitments rather than independently confirmed certifications.