Revision of Previously Reported Data (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 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	396,233,000	399,902,000		785,687,000	797,244,000
Gross profit	101,065,000	98,759,000		196,143,000	196,821,000
Operating income	23,772,000	23,563,000		44,970,000	43,609,000
Interest expense, net	7,665,000	8,389,000		16,202,000	18,832,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)	10,239,000	4,799,000		21,535,000	10,534,000
Net loss - noncontrolling interest	(40,000)	(31,000)		(76,000)	(61,000)	(110,000)
Net income-Res-Care, Inc.	10,279,000	4,830,000		21,611,000	10,595,000
Property and equipment, net	98,202,000	98,979,000		98,202,000	98,979,000	97,030,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases	16,666,000	5,810,000		16,666,000	5,810,000	20,747,000
Obligations under capital leases	14,028,000	11,950,000		14,028,000	11,950,000	11,632,000
Cash provided by operating activities				34,066,000	24,519,000
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities				(12,781,000)	(847,000)
As Reported
Revision of Previously Reported Data
Revenues		399,902,000			797,244,000
Gross profit		98,560,000			197,012,000
Operating income		23,332,000			43,832,000
Interest expense, net		8,142,000			18,350,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)		4,809,000			10,964,000
Net loss - noncontrolling interest		(31,000)			(61,000)
Net income-Res-Care, Inc.		4,840,000			11,025,000
Property and equipment, net		82,348,000			82,348,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases		78,000			78,000
Obligations under capital leases		306,000			306,000
Cash provided by operating activities					21,562,000
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities					2,110,000
Adjustment
Revision of Previously Reported Data
Gross profit		199,000			(191,000)
Operating income		231,000			(223,000)
Interest expense, net		247,000			482,000
Net income (loss):
Net income (loss)		(10,000)			(430,000)
Net income-Res-Care, Inc.		(10,000)			(430,000)
Property and equipment, net		16,631,000			16,631,000
Current portion of Long-term debt, including capital leases		5,732,000			5,732,000
Obligations under capital leases		11,644,000			11,644,000
Cash provided by operating activities					2,957,000
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities					$ (2,957,000)