Revision of Previously Reported Data (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Revision of Previously Reported Data
Decrease in income due to out-of-period adjustment relating to capital lease accounting, before tax		$ 700,000
Decrease in income due to out-of-period adjustment relating to capital lease accounting, after tax		400,000
Revision of Previously Reported Data
Revenues	389,454,000	397,342,000
Gross profit	95,078,000	98,062,000
Operating income	21,198,000	20,046,000
Interest expense	(8,537,000)	(10,443,000)
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)	11,296,000	5,735,000
Net loss - noncontrolling interest	(36,000)	(30,000)	(110,000)
Net income-Res-Care, Inc.	11,332,000	5,765,000
Property and equipment, net	94,959,000	100,980,000	97,030,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases	15,843,000	5,694,000	20,747,000
Obligations under capital leases	10,732,000	12,108,000	11,632,000
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities	9,170,000	(1,047,000)
Cash used in financing activities	(8,506,000)	(2,614,000)
As Reported
Revision of Previously Reported Data
Revenues		397,342,000
Gross profit		98,452,000
Operating income		20,500,000
Interest expense		10,208,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)		6,155,000
Net loss - noncontrolling interest		(30,000)
Net income-Res-Care, Inc.		6,185,000
Property and equipment, net		84,308,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases		85,000
Obligations under capital leases		324,000
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities		(2,521,000)
Cash used in financing activities		(1,140,000)
Adjustment
Revision of Previously Reported Data
Gross profit		(390,000)
Operating income		(454,000)
Interest expense		235,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)		(420,000)
Net income-Res-Care, Inc.		(420,000)
Property and equipment, net		16,672,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases		5,609,000
Obligations under capital leases		11,784,000
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities		1,474,000
Cash used in financing activities		$ (1,474,000)