Lowndes County reports about 443 gonorrhea cases per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. If you are in Benton, Alabama and wondering about your STI testing options, whether it's your first test or a routine screening, keep in mind that clinics may bill insurance or offer sliding-scale fees, while many private labs let you pay a flat self-pay price. Check out the options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Benton, AL. The nearest, Health Services, is about 12.7 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.
Health Services in Autaugaville tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV on a sliding-scale fee with Medicaid and Medicare accepted. Bacterial STIs treated same visit; an appointment is required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
MainStreet Family Care in Selma handles gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV testing, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections when needed. Fees run on a sliding scale and no appointment is required.
MainStreet Family Care prescribes both Truvada-class PrEP for ongoing HIV prevention and PEP for post-exposure coverage, managing both in-house. Having that prescribing authority embedded in a primary care setting means medication decisions and the follow-up labs that accompany them stay with the same clinical team.
Plenty of STI-focused clinics limit their panel to the four bacterial and viral staples, leaving herpes simplex and hepatitis B and C for a separate referral. MainStreet Family Care tests for all of them in the same visit, with hepatitis B vaccination also available on-site.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
The Knights and Orchids Society in Selma runs appointments for the full bacterial and viral panel (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and HIV) treating bacterial infections the same visit, with every test and service provided at no fee.
When cost sits between a person and treatment, infections go unmanaged and prevention goes unused. At The Knights and Orchids Society, every service (testing, treatment, PrEP, PEP, hepatitis care, vaccines) carries no charge, so the decision to follow through never hinges on what's in a wallet.
The Knights and Orchids Society prescribes both daily oral PrEP and PEP directly, and covers the cost for uninsured patients. Sustaining PrEP requires regular HIV testing and monitoring, all of which happen here, so the prescription and the follow-up care that keeps it valid are handled in one place.
For someone without a regular provider or the means to chase a specialist, The Knights and Orchids Society in Selma answers directly: hepatitis C is not only diagnosed here but treated on-site, meaning the antiviral course that clears the infection doesn't require a separate referral chain to access.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
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 13 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Benton, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 62 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Benton. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 10 offer telehealth.
Victor Theriault, MD
Family medicine · 511 East Tuskeena Street, Hayneville
Lee Carter, MD
Family medicine · 201 South Washington Street, Autaugaville
Park Chittom, MD
Internal medicine · 509 Parkman Avenue, Selma
Glenton Davis, MD
Family medicine · 223 Dallas Avenue, Selma
Nicholas Knight, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 901 Medical Ctr Parkway, Selma
Ernest Okeke, MD
Family medicine · 901 A Jeff Davis Avenue, Selma
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 Benton, AL 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.
Whitaker Drugs Autaugaville
13 miCarter Drugs
14 miSwift Drug
14 miUnion Drugs
14 mi
14 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Benton, AL.
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 Benton, 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 $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
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
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 Lowndes County, the county that includes Benton, compare with Alabama and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data.
#5 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 93% of the state
| Infection | Lowndes County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1111.5 108 cases ▲ 71% | 651.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 442.5 43 cases ▲ 95% | 226.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 61.7 6 cases ▲ 116% | 28.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 61.7 6 cases ▲ 202% | 20.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 20.6 2 cases ▼ 16% | 24.5 | 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 Lowndes County, chlamydia has risen from 882.6 to 1111.5 per 100,000 (26%), gonorrhea has fallen from 504.3 to 442.5 per 100,000 (12%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 9.7 to 61.7 per 100,000 (536%).
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 Lowndes County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Alabama 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.
Lowndes County HIV care continuum (2023)
Lowndes County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 16.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Lowndes County residents living with HIV, 84.9% are in care · 66% 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 Lowndes County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
People land in Benton for work at the regional plants, for family already rooted here, or because the cost of living lets paychecks stretch further. Once you settle, staying healthy, and keeping your health private, becomes a practical concern, not an abstract one. STI testing in and around Benton reflects that reality: clinics and providers listed on this page understand that a young adult in your twenties or thirties needs straightforward access to screening without the social friction that can come with a smaller town's tight networks. Testing itself is routine medical care, handled with the same confidentiality any other health visit receives.
When results stay confidential, the fear of word spreading, real or imagined, stops being a reason to skip a screening you know you should get. Benton's clinics keep that boundary firm, not as a special favor but as standard practice. The gap between knowing you should get tested and actually going is often just logistics and peace of mind. The providers serving Benton can offer both, whether you're due for a routine check, have a specific concern, or simply want to know your status before moving forward with a partner.
Getting there
At 2.92/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Benton 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 36752 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 36752 area around Benton: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Benton alone.
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Benton? 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 Lowndes County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Alabama 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 Benton-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 Benton 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 Alabama 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 Alabama, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Alabama 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 AlabamaSource: 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.
The closest is Health Services (12.7 mi); 4 options are within 30 miles.
Medicaid generally covers STD testing, and public clinics test for free regardless of coverage.
Public clinics nearby offer free HIV 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 1,112 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Alabama average.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 36752; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
In Alabama, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Lab results typically come back in 1–2 days.
It's cured with antibiotics; treating partners together prevents reinfection.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.