Quarterly Data (unaudited) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Quarterly Data (unaudited)
Prior year pre-tax impact, which has been corrected in the revised first quarter 2012 results					$ 700,000
Decrease in pre-tax income due to out-of-period adjustment relating to capital lease accounting, after tax					400,000
Quarterly Data (unaudited)
Revenues	195,076,000	405,027,000	396,838,000	399,902,000	397,342,000	397,892,000	396,267,000	399,092,000	386,084,000	1,599,109,000	1,579,335,000
Gross profit	45,468,000	106,953,000	100,841,000	98,759,000	98,062,000	100,333,000	98,192,000	98,369,000	92,031,000	404,615,000	388,925,000
Operating income	16,054,000	36,814,000	28,736,000	23,563,000	20,046,000					109,159,000	103,900,000
Interest expense	2,827,000	8,182,000	8,243,000	8,389,000	10,443,000					35,384,000	42,178,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)	6,183,000	18,235,000	12,244,000	4,799,000	5,735,000	12,094,000	30,290,000	6,934,000	3,674,000	41,013,000	52,992,000
Net loss-noncontrolling interest	(18,000)	(25,000)	(24,000)	(31,000)	(30,000)	(46,000)	(57,000)	(36,000)	(32,000)	(110,000)	(171,000)
Net income (loss)-Res-Care, Inc.	6,201,000	18,260,000	12,268,000	4,830,000	5,765,000	12,140,000	30,347,000	6,970,000	3,706,000	41,123,000	53,163,000
Property and equipment, net		97,030,000	97,976,000	98,979,000	100,980,000	84,893,000				97,030,000	84,893,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases		20,747,000	5,930,000	5,810,000	5,694,000	4,629,000				20,747,000	4,629,000
Obligations under capital leases			11,791,000	11,950,000	12,108,000
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities	59,474,000		42,255,000	24,519,000	(1,047,000)					80,321,000	72,612,000
Cash used in financing activities	(38,133,000)		(5,594,000)	(847,000)	(2,614,000)					(9,760,000)	(38,077,000)
As Reported
Quarterly Data (unaudited)
Revenues			396,838,000	399,902,000	397,342,000
Gross profit			100,636,000	98,560,000	98,452,000
Operating income			28,498,000	23,332,000	20,500,000
Interest expense			7,951,000	8,142,000	10,208,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)			12,276,000	4,809,000	6,155,000
Net loss-noncontrolling interest			(24,000)	(31,000)	(30,000)
Net income (loss)-Res-Care, Inc.			12,300,000	4,840,000	6,185,000
Property and equipment, net			81,386,000	82,348,000	84,308,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases			74,000	78,000	85,000
Obligations under capital leases			288,000	306,000	324,000
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities			37,814,000	21,562,000	(2,521,000)
Cash used in financing activities			(1,153,000)	2,110,000	(1,140,000)
Adjustment
Quarterly Data (unaudited)
Gross profit			205,000	199,000	(390,000)
Operating income			238,000	231,000	(454,000)
Interest expense			292,000	247,000	235,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)			(32,000)	(10,000)	(420,000)
Net income (loss)-Res-Care, Inc.			(32,000)	(10,000)	(420,000)
Property and equipment, net			16,590,000	16,631,000	16,672,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases			5,856,000	5,732,000	5,609,000
Obligations under capital leases			11,503,000	11,644,000	11,784,000
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities			4,441,000	2,957,000	1,474,000
Cash used in financing activities			$ (4,441,000)	$ (2,957,000)	$ (1,474,000)