Syphilis infections in Boyd County are 34% lower than the US average. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind in Ashland, Kentucky, here are the trade-offs: visiting a clinic lets a provider answer questions and start treatment, while an at-home kit lets you collect a sample on your own schedule and mail it in.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Ashland, KY. The nearest, Ashland-Boyd County Health Department, is about 0.2 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
Ashland-Boyd County Health Department brings STI testing into Ashland's public health infrastructure, covering gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, rapid and conventional HIV, hepatitis C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee. Appointments are required; bacterial infections are treated same visit; HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccines are available, with interpretation services on-site.
Ashland-Boyd County Health Department provides interpretation services for non-English languages directly through the clinic. That operational capacity means clinical conversations (exposure history, treatment instructions, follow-up scheduling) proceed in the language a patient reasons in, without routing through an outside relay.
As a Title X clinic, Ashland-Boyd County Health Department provides family planning services, including STI testing and treatment, with legally protected confidentiality for minors, meaning results and care are not disclosed to a parent or guardian without the patient's consent.
Alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, Ashland-Boyd County Health Department runs hepatitis C antibody testing as part of its panel. Staffed within the same public health department that manages TB testing and treatment, the clinic coordinates follow-up care for reactive results through established county health channels.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Kings Daughters Infectious Disease Specialists in Ashland brings specialist-level care to HIV, hepatitis A, B, and C, herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and TB testing: bacterial infections treated same visit, fees billed to Medicaid or insurance with a standard fee schedule for others. Appointments required.
Spanish is available directly at Kings Daughters Infectious Disease Specialists, and interpretation services extend that reach across additional languages. For a condition requiring precise medication counseling (PrEP dosing, hepatitis C treatment adherence, HIV management) the ability to communicate in a patient's primary language is built into the clinical workflow, not arranged separately.
Kings Daughters Infectious Disease Specialists maintains standing prescribing capability for both PrEP and PEP, managed by physicians whose primary focus is infectious disease. For someone without a regular provider who needs ongoing PrEP monitoring or a PEP course initiated and followed through, specialist oversight means the prescription comes with the clinical expertise to manage it correctly.
Kings Daughters Infectious Disease Specialists diagnoses and treats hepatitis C within the same practice, direct-acting antivirals prescribed and monitored by infectious disease physicians who track viral load response through the treatment course. The clinical relationship from initial antibody test through sustained virologic response stays with one team.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
OVP Health Care, Inc. in Ashland meets patients where they are (uninsured, between providers, or paying cash) through federally qualified status that ties sliding-scale fees to income. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening, making STI care reachable regardless of coverage or ability to pay.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
PrimaryPlus in Ashland functions as a community health center where STI care sits alongside primary medicine: meaning gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and herpes testing, same-visit bacterial treatment, HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines, and sliding-scale fees are handled by the same clinical team. Appointments required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Nov 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Ashland Family Health Center in Ashland welcomes walk-in patients without an appointment for STI screening. Earning its federally qualified standing means fees slide with income, so a single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing without financial barriers dictating who walks through the door.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is less than a mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Ashland, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Boyd County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
10650 US Route 60, Ashland, KY 41101
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
122 St Christopher Drive, Ashland, KY 41101
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
2201 Lexington Avenue, Ashland, KY 41101
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
2201 Lexington Avenue, Ashland, KY 41101
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
66 28 US 60, Ashland, KY 41102
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Ashland. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 291 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Ashland. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 55 offer telehealth.
Michael Basedow, DO
Family medicine · 2400 13th Street, Ashland
Stephen Desouza, MD
Family medicine · 2201 Lexington Avenue, Ashland
Deborah Sherman, MD
OB-GYN · 2201 Lexington Avenue, Ashland
James Frederick, MD
OB-GYN · 617 23rd Street, Ashland
Patrick Villafuerte, MD
Infectious disease · 613 23rd Street, Ashland
Jason Bailey, DO Telehealth
Infectious disease · 613 23rd Street, Ashland
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Ashland, KY publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Gallaher's Pharmacy
0.2 mi
0.9 mi 
1.2 mi Ovp Health Care
1.2 miAshland Family Health Center Pharmacy
1.2 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Ashland, KY.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Ashland, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Boyd County, the county that includes Ashland, compare with Kentucky and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~24% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#38 of 120 Kentucky counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 68% of the state
| Infection | Boyd County | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 271.8 130 cases ▼ 29% | 381.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 83.6 40 cases ▼ 38% | 134.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 10.5 5 cases ▼ 26% | 14.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 6.3 3 cases ▼ 57% | 14.5 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 12.5 6 cases ▼ 34% | 18.9 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Boyd County, chlamydia has risen from 215.5 to 271.8 per 100,000 (26%), gonorrhea has fallen from 99.5 to 83.6 per 100,000 (16%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 4.1 to 10.5 per 100,000 (156%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Boyd County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Kentucky is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Boyd County HIV care continuum (2023)
Boyd County recorded 12.3 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 10.4 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Boyd County residents living with HIV, 83.1% are in care · 77.5% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Boyd County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Ashland reads as settled: most households here own their homes, and rents along corridors like Greenup Avenue and Winchester Avenue run low enough that housing itself isn't the crisis it is in larger metros. But that surface calm sits alongside a labor market where a significant share of working-age adults are either out of work or outside the workforce entirely, and getting across town without a car on streets built around US 60 takes real planning. South Ashland isn't a quick walk from most clinic locations, and that distance quietly decides whether someone books an appointment or lets it slide. Those practical constraints land hardest on people in their late teens and twenties: the years when STI exposure is highest and when employment, insurance, and transportation are all least reliable at the same time.
With nearly four in ten households renting and unemployment running well above the national norm, the assumption that "I'll just go when things settle down" tends to outlast the intention. The testing options listed on this page vary by hours, cost, and location, and those differences matter here, where a longer drive down MLK Boulevard or a fee that eats into a tight monthly budget can be the deciding factor. Knowing which clinic fits your actual situation, rather than an idealized one, is exactly what the cards above are built to show.
Getting there
At 7.44/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Ashland generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 41102 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 41102 area around Ashland: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Ashland alone.
Ashland sits in Boyd County, ZIP 41102. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Ashland? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Boyd County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Kentucky law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with an Ashland-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Ashland often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on Kentucky law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In Kentucky, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Kentucky permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in KentuckySource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
There are 9 options within a 30-mile drive.
Free at public clinics. Private labs run about $24 for one test and $139 for a full panel; at-home kits are $49+.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Boyd County reported ~272 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Kentucky average.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
In Kentucky, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
Reputable kits use the same lab methods as clinics; any positive should be confirmed and treated by a provider.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.