Caddo Parish reports about 40 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. If you live in Belcher, Louisiana and want STI testing before starting a new relationship or as part of ongoing care, weigh options between low-cost community and public clinics, and private lab services that often provide faster results and more flexible scheduling. We list both options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Belcher, LA. The nearest, David Raines Community Health Centers, is about 5.2 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.
David Raines Community Health Centers in Gilliam runs on sliding-scale fees with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance accepted, making the full panel reachable at most income levels. Testing covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, conventional HIV, hepatitis C, and TB, with HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccines on-site. Appointments are required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Nov 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 10 miles from Belcher. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
WK Simpkins Community Health and Wellness Center, a community health center in Shreveport, folds STI testing (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV) into broader primary care infrastructure, with sliding-scale fees, walk-ins welcome, same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, and HPV and hepatitis vaccines on site.
For anyone without coverage, between jobs, or simply paying cash, WK Simpkins absorbs the full cost of every service (testing, treatment, vaccines) with no bill at the end of the visit. That standing commitment holds regardless of income documentation or insurance status.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
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 about 5 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Belcher, 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 value: single tests
$49 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & 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 Caddo Parish, 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.
1602 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71103
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
2401 Greenwood Road, Shreveport, LA 71103
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1453 East Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Suite 220, Shreveport, LA 71105
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Belcher. 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, 315 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Belcher. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 52 offer telehealth.
Lindsey Brown, MD
Family medicine · 1001 Lackland Boulevard, Benton
Halim Abou Faycal, MD Telehealth
Infectious disease · 1433 Suwannee Lane, Benton
Vicki Cobb, MD
Family medicine · 4707 Palmetto Road, Benton
Bruce Brouillette
Family medicine · 5621 North Market Street, Shreveport
Daniel Core, MD
OB-GYN · 266 Jessie Jones Drive, Benton
Jody Chance, MD
Family medicine · 815 South Pine Street, Vivian
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 Belcher, LA 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.
Arklatex Apothecary
6.8 mi
7.4 mi Brookshires Pharmacy
7.4 miCommunity RX
10 miPalmetto Drug
10 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Belcher, LA.
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 Belcher, 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.
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
$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 Caddo Parish, the parish that includes Belcher, compare with Louisiana and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~18% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#14 of 64 Louisiana counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 78% of the state
| Infection | Caddo Parish | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 914.8 2,071 cases ▲ 15% | 792.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 397.6 900 cases ▲ 38% | 288.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 43.3 98 cases ▲ 66% | 26.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 27.8 63 cases ▲ 42% | 19.6 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 65.4 148 cases ▲ 24% | 52.6 | 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 Caddo Parish, chlamydia has risen from 764.4 to 914.8 per 100,000 (20%), gonorrhea has fallen from 428.4 to 397.6 per 100,000 (7%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 28.2 to 43.3 per 100,000 (54%).
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 Caddo Parish.
Local HIV snapshot
Caddo Parish HIV care continuum (2023)
Caddo Parish recorded 40.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 22.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Caddo Parish residents living with HIV, 74.4% are in care · 63.2% 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 Caddo Parish tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
People come to Belcher to work the oil and gas operations that anchor the region, to reconnect with family roots, or to settle into a quieter pace after years elsewhere. That shift, whether permanent or temporary, often brings a practical question: where to get tested confidentially, without fanfare. STD testing in and around Belcher serves that need directly. The clinics and providers listed on this page offer screening that stays between you and your healthcare provider, with no surprise calls home or workplace notices.
Young adults in their late teens through thirties make up a meaningful part of Belcher's population, and routine testing is straightforward health maintenance at those ages. Not crisis management. A screening catches things early, when treatment works fastest and complications stay rare. The confidentiality built into these services isn't performance; it's how testing actually works, and it matters most to people establishing themselves in a new place or managing their health on their own terms.
Testing availability nearby means you're not driving hours or explaining absences. Walk in, get answers, move forward. That accessibility shapes whether someone screens at all, especially in a town where everybody notices who's where and when.
Getting there
At 5/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Belcher 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 71004 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 71004 area around Belcher: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Belcher alone.
Belcher sits in Caddo Parish, ZIP 71004. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Belcher? 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 Caddo Parish: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Louisiana 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 a Belcher-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 Belcher 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Louisiana 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 LouisianaSource: 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.
Possibly, Blanchard, LA is close; compare it by distance against David Raines Community Health Centers.
Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.
Yes, public clinics in the area offer free or low-cost testing.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 915 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Louisiana average.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 71004; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
In Louisiana, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Lab results typically come back in 1–2 days.
Start treatment, tell recent partners so they can test, avoid sex until cleared, and retest if advised, most STIs resolve with care.
Likely yes, if you were past the window period; otherwise retest, and keep up routine screening with new partners.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.