Ravalli County reported syphilis cases are about 87% lower than the US average. If you've had a recent risk exposure or keep a regular testing schedule in Charlos Heights, Montana, you'll find trade-offs like cost, speed, and convenience among public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits.
Available testing centers
4 testing options are listed for Charlos Heights, MT. The nearest, Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, is about 7.3 miles away. Compare 3 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.
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 7 miles from Charlos Heights. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
A community safety-net rural health clinic about 8 miles from Charlos Heights. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Sapphire Community Health in Hamilton anchors STI care inside a full community health center, which means gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing share the same appointment block as family planning and substance-use treatment, all on a sliding-scale fee with same-visit bacterial treatment available.
Plenty of testing sites cap out at the four bacterial STIs plus HIV, herpes cultures and hepatitis C antibody testing simply aren't on the menu. Sapphire Community Health runs both, so a single appointment in Hamilton can surface infections that a shorter panel would leave undetected.
For anyone managing active substance use who also needs STI testing or treatment, coordinating between separate providers can mean dropped threads and delayed care. Sapphire Community Health carries both services together, so a clinician who knows the full picture can treat gonorrhea or syphilis and address substance-use needs without splitting the record across separate offices.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
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 7 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Charlos Heights, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Ravalli 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.
1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton, MT 59840
CMS-certified lab
1331 North 1st Street, Hamilton, MT 59840
CMS-certified lab
715 Main Street, Stevensville, MT 59870
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Charlos Heights. 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, 37 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Charlos Heights. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 7 offer telehealth.
Carlee Kalbfleisch, MD
Family medicine · 3334 Dvn Lane, Darby
John Courchesne, MD
Internal medicine · 1270 Westwood Drive, Hamilton
Jordan Judy, DO
Internal medicine · 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton
Megan Metcalf, MD
OB-GYN · 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton
Jordan Icenoggle, MD
OB-GYN · 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton
Kathleen Harder-Brouwer, MD
Family medicine · 411 West Main Street, Hamilton
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 Charlos Heights, MT 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.
Bitterroot Drug
7.9 miHamilton Pharmacy
7.9 mi
8.5 mi Timber Ridge Pharmacy
8.7 miShowing the 4 closest pharmacies to Charlos Heights, MT.
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 Charlos Heights, 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.
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
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
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 Ravalli County, the county that includes Charlos Heights, compare with Montana and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~28% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#31 of 56 Montana counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 45% of the state
| Infection | Ravalli County | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 167.6 80 cases ▼ 48% | 322.6 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 10.5 5 cases ▼ 84% | 67.7 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 2.1 1 cases ▼ 92% | 27.5 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 2.1 1 cases ▼ 83% | 12.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | — no data | 27.2 | 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 Ravalli County, chlamydia has risen from 142.6 to 167.6 per 100,000 (18%), gonorrhea has fallen from 40.7 to 10.5 per 100,000 (74%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 2.3 to 2.1 per 100,000 (9%).
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 Ravalli County.
Local HIV snapshot
Ravalli County HIV care continuum (2023)
Ravalli County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Ravalli County residents living with HIV, 80% are in care · 72% 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 Ravalli County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Charlos Heights draws young adults who come for the climbing, the trails that lead toward Tabor Mountain, the outdoor work that keeps them here season to season. That transient energy (people moving through, staying, building something) means sexual health screening happens quietly and without fanfare. Testing available in and around Charlos Heights listed on this page reflects what matters in a place where folks value their privacy and move on their own timeline, where the person next to you at the trailhead might be a neighbor of three years or three weeks. The clinics and providers serving Charlos Heights understand that confidentiality isn't theater here; it's basic respect.
Young adults who work seasonally, split time between towns, or simply prefer to keep their medical life separate from their social one can access screening without the assumption of permanence or the weight of a small-town gaze. Results belong to you alone. Routine testing (whether you're partnered, single, or in transition) fits into the rhythms of a place where people tend to their own business. The landscape around US 93 and Lost Horse Observation Point may feel endless, but the health services you need are within reach, staffed by providers accustomed to serving a population that values discretion as much as care.
Getting there
At 4.25/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Charlos Heights 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 59840 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 59840 area around Charlos Heights: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Charlos Heights alone.
Charlos Heights sits in Ravalli County, ZIP 59840. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Charlos Heights? 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 Ravalli County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Montana 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 Charlos Heights-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 Charlos Heights 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 Montana 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 Montana, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Montana 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 MontanaSource: 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 3 options within a 30-mile drive.
Usually yes, it can be billed to insurance, or paid out of pocket at a flat rate.
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.
Ravalli County reported ~168 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Montana average.
In Montana, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
Certain high-risk HPV types raise cancer risk; vaccination and routine screening are the defenses.
It checks for the p24 antigen plus antibodies, detecting HIV a week or two sooner than older tests.
Public and community clinics test everyone; several provide LGBTQ-affirming services.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.