Subsidiary Guarantors (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Nov. 16, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 50,134,000				$ 25,651,000	$ 27,552,000	$ 15,459,000
Accounts receivable, net	228,377,000				221,089,000
Refundable income taxes					11,432,000
Deferred income taxes	17,589,000				13,668,000
Non-trade receivables	3,942,000				6,684,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	18,174,000				18,532,000
Total current assets	318,216,000				297,056,000
Property and equipment, net	97,030,000	97,976,000	98,979,000	100,980,000	84,893,000
Goodwill	288,265,000				267,697,000	247,305,000
Other intangible assets, net	321,293,000				314,954,000
Other assets	27,154,000				27,658,000
Total assets	1,051,958,000				992,258,000	964,952,000
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	37,738,000				46,107,000
Accrued expenses	114,876,000				122,632,000
Current portion of long-term debt	14,695,000				4,540,000
Current portion of obligations under capital leases	6,052,000				89,000
Accrued income taxes	1,813,000				969,000
Total current liabilities	175,174,000				174,337,000
Long-term liabilities	56,319,000				55,200,000
Long-term debt	358,420,000				364,854,000
Obligations under capital leases	11,632,000				342,000
Deferred gains	150,000				300,000
Deferred income taxes	106,253,000				98,270,000
Total liabilities	707,948,000				693,303,000
Preferred shares
Common stock
Additional paid-in capital	244,345,000				240,509,000
Retained earnings	99,734,000				58,611,000
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	30,000				(176,000)
Total shareholder's equity-Res-Care, Inc.	344,109,000				298,944,000
Noncontrolling interest	(99,000)				11,000	182,000
Total shareholder's equity	344,010,000				298,955,000	242,613,000	452,644,000
Total liabilities and shareholder's equity	1,051,958,000				992,258,000
U.S. subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Percentage of ownership in subsidiaries which jointly, severally, fully and unconditionally guarantee the senior notes	100.00%
ResCare, Inc.
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	42,633,000				16,733,000	11,084,000	6,666,000
Accounts receivable, net	21,515,000				22,947,000
Refundable income taxes					11,432,000
Deferred income taxes	17,589,000				13,668,000
Non-trade receivables	1,506,000				752,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	10,114,000				8,556,000
Total current assets	93,357,000				74,088,000
Property and equipment, net	43,320,000				45,827,000
Goodwill	282,832,000				237,076,000
Other intangible assets, net	302,293,000				307,566,000
Investment in subsidiaries	900,087,000				827,292,000
Other assets	24,073,000				24,548,000
Total assets	1,645,962,000				1,516,397,000
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	20,499,000				26,293,000
Accrued expenses	55,299,000				64,061,000
Current portion of long-term debt	13,098,000				1,700,000
Accrued income taxes	1,843,000				1,051,000
Total current liabilities	90,739,000				93,105,000
Intercompany	691,094,000				606,864,000
Long-term liabilities	56,090,000				55,112,000
Long-term debt	357,527,000				363,786,000
Deferred gains	150,000				300,000
Deferred income taxes	106,253,000				98,275,000
Total liabilities	1,301,853,000				1,217,442,000
Additional paid-in capital	244,345,000				240,509,000
Retained earnings	99,734,000				58,611,000
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	30,000				(176,000)
Total shareholder's equity-Res-Care, Inc.	344,109,000				298,944,000
Noncontrolling interest					11,000
Total shareholder's equity	344,109,000				298,955,000
Total liabilities and shareholder's equity	1,645,962,000				1,516,397,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4,795,000				6,547,000	9,825,000	5,246,000
Accounts receivable, net	206,491,000				197,925,000
Non-trade receivables	2,251,000				5,650,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	7,730,000				9,738,000
Total current assets	221,267,000				219,860,000
Property and equipment, net	53,282,000				38,628,000
Goodwill					25,338,000
Other intangible assets, net	19,000,000				7,388,000
Intercompany	622,481,000
Investment in subsidiaries	41,782,000				41,782,000
Other assets	3,064,000				3,079,000
Total assets	960,876,000				336,075,000
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	17,181,000				19,697,000
Accrued expenses	58,729,000				57,607,000
Current portion of long-term debt	1,573,000				2,704,000
Current portion of obligations under capital leases	6,052,000				89,000
Total current liabilities	83,535,000				80,097,000
Intercompany					(537,240,000)
Long-term liabilities	229,000				88,000
Long-term debt	893,000				1,068,000
Obligations under capital leases	11,632,000				342,000
Total liabilities	96,289,000				(455,645,000)
Additional paid-in capital	476,811,000				476,808,000
Retained earnings	387,794,000				314,912,000
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(18,000)
Total shareholder's equity-Res-Care, Inc.	864,587,000				791,720,000
Total shareholder's equity	864,587,000				791,720,000
Total liabilities and shareholder's equity	960,876,000				336,075,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2,706,000				2,371,000	6,643,000	3,547,000
Accounts receivable, net	371,000				217,000
Non-trade receivables	185,000				282,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	330,000				238,000
Total current assets	3,592,000				3,108,000
Property and equipment, net	428,000				438,000
Goodwill	5,433,000				5,283,000
Intercompany	70,335,000
Other assets	17,000				31,000
Total assets	79,805,000				8,860,000
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	58,000				117,000
Accrued expenses	848,000				964,000
Current portion of long-term debt	1,746,000				2,143,000
Accrued income taxes	(30,000)				(82,000)
Total current liabilities	2,622,000				3,142,000
Intercompany					(71,631,000)
Deferred income taxes					(5,000)
Total liabilities	2,622,000				(68,494,000)
Additional paid-in capital	125,104,000				125,106,000
Retained earnings	(47,445,000)				(46,986,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(377,000)				(777,000)
Total shareholder's equity-Res-Care, Inc.	77,282,000				77,343,000
Noncontrolling interest	(99,000)				11,000
Total shareholder's equity	77,183,000				77,354,000
Total liabilities and shareholder's equity	79,805,000				8,860,000
Eliminations
Current assets:
Intercompany	(692,816,000)
Investment in subsidiaries	(941,869,000)				(869,074,000)
Total assets	(1,634,685,000)				(869,074,000)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	(1,722,000)				(2,007,000)
Total current liabilities	(1,722,000)				(2,007,000)
Intercompany	(691,094,000)				2,007,000
Total liabilities	(692,816,000)
Additional paid-in capital	(601,915,000)				(601,914,000)
Retained earnings	(340,349,000)				(267,926,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	395,000				777,000
Total shareholder's equity-Res-Care, Inc.	(941,869,000)				(869,063,000)
Noncontrolling interest					(11,000)
Total shareholder's equity	(941,869,000)				(869,074,000)
Total liabilities and shareholder's equity	$ (1,634,685,000)				$ (869,074,000)