In Kennebec County, new HIV diagnoses are about 66% lower than the US average. If you've had a recent risk or simply test regularly in Chelsea, Maine, you can weigh visiting a clinic or using an at-home kit. The list below highlights these options.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Chelsea, ME. The nearest, Augusta Admin Headquarters, is about 6.5 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.
Augusta Admin Headquarters in Augusta carries federally qualified health center standing, which ties STI screening fees directly to each patient's income on a sliding scale. Syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing is available without a fixed-price barrier, and no appointment is required to be seen.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
MaineGeneral Health in Gardiner tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C on a sliding-scale fee with insurance and Medicaid accepted; bacterial infections can be treated the same visit, and an appointment is required.
MaineGeneral Health carries both PrEP, taken as a daily oral medication requiring regular HIV and kidney-function monitoring, and PEP within its own care. That means the prescription, the follow-up lab work, and adherence counseling stay with one clinical team in Gardiner rather than splitting across separate providers.
Without herpes or hepatitis B and C on the panel, a patient leaves knowing only part of the picture, and a missed hepatitis C diagnosis can mean years of unmanaged liver disease. MaineGeneral Health in Gardiner tests for all three alongside the core bacterial panel, so a single visit settles the full diagnostic question.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Maine Family Planning in Augusta tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and hepatitis B and C on a sliding scale open to everyone, with appointments required and same-visit treatment available for bacterial infections.
Maine Family Planning prescribes and monitors PrEP directly: ongoing lab work, dose adjustments, and refills happen within the practice rather than through a separate prescriber. PEP is similarly managed on-site, with staff who handle the full course, not just the initial visit.
Plenty of STI clinics cap their panel at HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia: leaving herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C for a separate appointment elsewhere. Maine Family Planning tests for all of them in a single visit, including hepatitis C with on-site management for those who need it.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Sheepscot Valley Health Center in Whitefield meets people where they are: rural residents, cash-paying patients, and those without coverage all qualify for sliding-scale fees under its federally qualified health center charter. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening without an appointment.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
HealthReach Community Health Centers in Coopers Mills tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee; appointments are required, and bacterial STIs are treated same visit.
For anyone without a regular primary care provider, getting herpes or hepatitis B and C testing typically means chasing a separate appointment elsewhere. HealthReach carries all of it (herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C) alongside the standard bacterial panel, so one visit closes questions that would otherwise require coordinating multiple providers.
Substance-use treatment is built into HealthReach's services, which matters most for someone whose drug or alcohol use intersects with their sexual health and who has no other provider managing either. Addressing both at the same practice, rather than navigating two separate systems, is a capability few STI clinics carry.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 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 7 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Chelsea, 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 Kennebec 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.
9 Glenridge Drive, Augusta, ME 04330
CMS-certified lab
47 Independence Drive, 12 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333
CMS-certified lab
1 Va Center 2nd Floor Building 200, Augusta, ME 04330
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 Chelsea. 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, 341 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Chelsea. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 75 offer telehealth.
Peter Guzzetti, DO Telehealth
Internal medicine · 9 Glenridge Drive, Augusta
Catherine Nielsen, MD
Family medicine · 150 Dresden Avenue, Gardiner
Scott Schiff Slater, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 9 Union Street, Hallowell
Jose Ventura, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 323 State Street, Augusta
Christoffer Amdahl, MD
Family medicine · 15 East Chestnut Street, Augusta
Gene Cheng, MD
Internal medicine · 6 Middle Street, Augusta
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 Chelsea, ME 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.
3.3 mi 
3.4 mi Hannaford Food and Drug
3.4 miMedicine Shoppe
3.6 miShowing the 4 closest pharmacies to Chelsea, ME.
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 Chelsea, 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
$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
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
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 Kennebec County, the county that includes Chelsea, compare with Maine and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data.
#5 of 16 Maine counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 69% of the state
| Infection | Kennebec County | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 197.2 251 cases ▼ 9% | 217.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 40.1 51 cases ▼ 10% | 44.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 2.4 3 cases ▼ 55% | 5.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 0.8 1 cases ▼ 62% | 2.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 4.7 6 cases ▲ 4% | 4.5 | 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 Kennebec County, chlamydia has fallen from 269.3 to 197.2 per 100,000 (27%), gonorrhea has risen from 29.1 to 40.1 per 100,000 (38%), and P&S syphilis has held roughly steady from 2.4 to 2.4 per 100,000.
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 Kennebec County.
Local HIV snapshot
Kennebec County HIV care continuum (2021)
Kennebec County recorded 4.6 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2021), against 2.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Kennebec County residents living with HIV, 93.3% are in care · 89.6% 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 Kennebec County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Chelsea, in Kennebec County, Maine, is a small-town community, where four-year degrees are in the minority, near 20.8%. Unemployment runs about 4.1%, and homeownership is the norm. The town's clinics are easy to reach, and at-home kits or telehealth round out the choices.
Getting there
At 6.62/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Chelsea 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.
Chelsea sits in Kennebec County, ZIP 4330. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Chelsea? 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 Kennebec County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Maine 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 Chelsea-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 Chelsea 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 Maine 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 Maine, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Maine 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 MaineSource: 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.
Nearest is Augusta Admin Headquarters, about 6.5 mi away; 6 are within 30 miles. An at-home kit shipped to 4330 also works.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
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.
Kennebec County reported ~197 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Maine average.
At-home kits mail to 4330: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In Maine, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
It can; oral HSV-1 transmits to the genitals during oral sex.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.