About the service
About the service
The service, known as the North Queensland Youth Alcohol and Other Drugs Service (NQYAODS), has a residential rehabilitation program that opened in October 2025.
It offers specialist alcohol and other drug treatment and support to young people who live in North Queensland, with priority to Cairns and Hinterland and Torres Cape regions. Referrals from surrounding areas are based on client readiness and bed availability. The service includes up to 10 places for residential rehabilitation.
There are also non-residential treatment program options for young people that commenced in early 2025.
Why it’s important
Alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation programs are part of a range of treatment options for young people who are seeking help with problematic substance use.
The service helps support existing alcohol and other drug treatment services in North Queensland. It also:
- improves local access to specialist services, and helps people get treatment closer to home
- meets community needs and demand for alcohol and other drug treatment services.
Who it’s for
The residential rehabilitation program is available for young people from ages 13 to 18 years.
The non-residential program is available for young people up to 25 years.
Attendance in the service is voluntary. It's available to young people who are ready and want to make positive changes to their alcohol and other drug use.
Location
The residential rehabilitation service is located in Edmonton, Qld 4869.
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service owns the land and buildings. The non-residential program operates from a separate location in Cairns.
What services are available
Treatment services include:
- 10 live-in places for residential rehabilitation
- non-residential programs.
Learn more about what residential rehabilitation services are.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples and their families, the service also helps meet their needs through:
- cultural healing programs and services
- traditional ways of learning
- support from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and Elders for healing activities.
Non-residential programs
Non-residential programs (operating from a separate location in Cairns) are available for young people up to 25 years in Cairns and surrounding areas seeking support while living at home or in the community. A range of treatment and support options include:
- assertive outreach services
- psychosocial interventions (counselling)
- family therapy
- cultural healing programs.
Service provider
The North Queensland Youth Alcohol and Other Drugs Service (NQYAODS) is delivered by Youth Empowered Towards Independence (YETI), in collaboration with the Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) and Gindaja Treatment and Healing Indigenous Corporation, under contract with the Queensland Department of Health.
YETI, in partnership with YSAS and Gindaja, operates the service in collaboration with the Department of Education providing education and learning programs and Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service providing mental health in-reach services.
The residential rehabilitation service is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by experienced and qualified staff.
For information or advice on referrals, eligibility and suitability, contact YETI on (07) 4051 4927 or email referrals@yeti.net.au. You can also refer online via the website.
Help and support
For information or assistance to find a suitable alcohol and other drug treatment service, contact Queensland Health ADIS 24/7 Alcohol and Drug Support on 1800 177 833.
They provide 24-hour, 7 day a week confidential support for people in Queensland with alcohol and other drug concerns, their families and health professionals. You can also request a call back or search the services directory through the website.