Caldwell Parish reports about 43 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. If you've had a recent risk or simply test on a regular schedule in Clarks, Louisiana, you have options. Public clinics keep costs down but private labs prioritize speed, and at-home kits trade a clinic visit for convenience. Below, you'll find some of your options.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Clarks, LA. The nearest, Louisiana Department of Health, is about 4.2 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.
Louisiana Department of Health in Columbia tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis C on a sliding-scale fee open to anyone. Walk-ins welcome. Same-visit treatment is available for bacterial STIs, and care is delivered in Spanish.
Spanish is a full clinical language at Louisiana Department of Health in Columbia: not a supplemental service, but the medium through which counseling, test results, and treatment instructions are delivered. That means nothing gets compressed or delayed when a patient's primary language isn't English.
Beyond gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, Louisiana Department of Health in Columbia also tests for hepatitis C. Meaning a single visit can surface a bloodborne infection that often goes undetected for years without a targeted reason to look.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
A community safety-net rural health clinic about 6 miles from Clarks. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 14 miles from Clarks. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
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 4 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Clarks, 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.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Caldwell 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.
7939 U South Highway 165 South, Columbia, LA 71418
CMS-certified lab
7939 U South Hwy 165 South, Columbia, LA 71418
CMS-certified lab
411 Main Street, Columbia, LA 71418
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Clarks. 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, 35 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Clarks. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 2 offer telehealth.
Emily Kinney, MD
Family medicine · 484 Collins Road, Columbia
Hatem Hamed, MD
Family medicine · 7939 Hwy 165, Columbia
Madelyn Corkern, DO
Family medicine · 411 Main Street, Columbia
Jimmy Coughran, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1010 Davis Lake Road, Columbia
Riaz Chaudhry, MD
Internal medicine · 1102 North Pine Road, Olla
Joshua Holstead
Urology · 187 9th Street, Jena
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 Clarks, 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.
The Medicine Cabinet
4.9 miJ&K Drug
6.2 miJ and K Drug
6.2 miR&K Drugs
9.5 miSmotherman
12 miJena Pharmacy
23 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Clarks, 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 Clarks, 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
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 $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 Caldwell Parish, the parish that includes Clarks, compare with Louisiana and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~32% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#49 of 64 Louisiana counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 23% of the state
| Infection | Caldwell Parish | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 575.1 54 cases ▼ 27% | 792.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 95.9 9 cases ▼ 67% | 288.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 42.6 4 cases ▲ 63% | 26.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 21.3 2 cases ▲ 9% | 19.6 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 106.5 10 cases ▲ 102% | 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 Caldwell Parish, chlamydia has risen from 217.7 to 575.1 per 100,000 (164%), gonorrhea has fallen from 228.1 to 95.9 per 100,000 (58%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 20.7 to 42.6 per 100,000 (106%).
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 Caldwell Parish.
Local HIV snapshot
Caldwell Parish HIV care continuum (2023)
Caldwell Parish recorded 62.8 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 22.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Caldwell Parish residents living with HIV, 77.3% are in care · 63.6% 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 Caldwell Parish tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Clarks carries a notably low labor-force participation rate, which means many residents aren't operating on a standard nine-to-five clock, and for younger adults still sorting out work, relationships, and housing, that irregular rhythm shapes nearly every practical decision, including health care. With nearly half the town renting at modest monthly costs and average households running close to three and a half people, shared living situations are common, and privacy around personal health decisions doesn't always come easy. That pressure, financial and domestic, is real background noise for people in their late teens and twenties, whose years of forming new partnerships are also the years when STI transmission peaks. A fairly high share of households without formal employment also means cost sensitivity matters: even a modest copay or travel expense can quietly tip the scales on whether screening happens this week or gets indefinitely postponed.
Then there's the road reality. No popping in between errands near Grayson Recreation Park, no walking over on a lunch break. That drive is the concrete barrier here. For anyone without reliable transportation, or whose household shares one vehicle across multiple adults, building that trip into an already stretched schedule is what actually determines whether a test gets scheduled at all.
Getting there
At 4.96/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Clarks 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 71435 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 71435 area around Clarks: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Clarks alone.
Clarks sits in Caldwell Parish, ZIP 71435. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Clarks? 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 Caldwell 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 Clarks-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 Clarks 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.
There are 3 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 health clinics nearby provide free testing.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Caldwell Parish reported ~575 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Louisiana average.
In Louisiana, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Herpes isn't curable, but daily or as-needed antiviral medicine controls outbreaks and lowers the chance of passing it on.
A urine test or swab finds trichomoniasis, one of the most treatable STIs.
Go to an ER or call RAINN (800-656-4673); they provide testing, PEP, and support right away.
Wait roughly 1–2 weeks after exposure for a reliable chlamydia result.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.