Richland County reports about 404 gonorrhea cases per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. Whether you have symptoms or want peace of mind in Forest Acres, South Carolina, you can choose between walk-in clinics for same-day testing or labs and at-home kits that fit your schedule.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Forest Acres, SC. The nearest, Colonial Healthcare, is about 0.9 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.
Colonial Healthcare in Columbia folds STI testing into a full family-practice model, meaning gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing share a roof with treatment, HPV and hepatitis A/B vaccination, and family planning. Fees billed to Medicaid or insurance, with a sliding scale otherwise. Appointments required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Oct 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Palss in Columbia covers the full bacterial and viral panel (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, HIV) treats confirmed bacterial infections the same visit, and runs every one of those services at no fee, sliding-scale for anything beyond.
Fee waivers at most clinics are partial: they cover the test, not the follow-up, or the visit but not the medication. At Palss, the no-fee policy holds across testing, treatment, prevention, and ongoing care, with no carve-outs hiding behind fine print.
Ryan White Program funding positions Palss to carry a patient from initial HIV test through sustained medical treatment, meaning the clinical relationship doesn't reset each visit but builds toward stable, managed care with medication adherence counseling woven in.
Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (DoxyPEP), taken after a potential bacterial STI exposure to reduce chlamydia and syphilis risk, is prescribed at Palss alongside standard PrEP and PEP, giving patients access to all three current prevention-medication strategies without splitting care between providers.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Dec 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic in Columbia runs appointments-only STI care covering HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and hepatitis B: with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, sliding-scale fees accepted by all, and Spanish-language care on staff.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic carries Spanish-language services and interpretation for other languages through the visit itself. That means HIV test counseling, where precision and nuance matter, happens in the same language, without a relay.
As a Title X-funded site, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic is legally required to keep family planning services for minors confidential. Not as a policy preference but as a federally mandated condition of the funding. That legal protection is built into how the clinic is staffed and billed.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic maintains the clinical capacity to prescribe and manage both PrEP and PEP directly: useful for anyone without a regular provider, paying out of pocket, or simply wanting prevention handled in the same place as testing and treatment.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Grace Medical Group in Columbia pairs conventional HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis A, B, and C testing with same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs; fees follow a sliding scale and insurance is accepted. Appointments are required, and PrEP is available for ongoing prevention.
Grace Medical Group prescribes PrEP, including tenofovir-based daily regimens, and manages the follow-up labs and monitoring intervals the medication requires. PEP is also available, meaning both the pre- and post-exposure oral prevention strategies sit within the same practice rather than requiring separate providers.
People without a regular primary care provider often have no straightforward way to get hepatitis A, B, and C screened alongside a standard STI panel. Grace Medical Group's testing menu covers all three. That breadth is especially useful for anyone paying out of pocket who needs a single appointment to cover the full picture.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Cooperative Health, a community health center in Columbia, brings coordinated primary and sexual health services together under one provider relationship: covering gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, herpes, and HIV testing, with same-visit bacterial treatment, sliding-scale fees, and appointments required.
When language access breaks down at an STI clinic, the gap between a diagnosis and treatment widens: delays compound, and infections go unresolved. At Cooperative Health in Columbia, interpretation services are part of the care itself, not a separate arrangement, so the clinical conversation and the treatment plan reach the patient intact.
Herpes testing routinely falls off the standard clinic menu: patients are screened for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, but leave without knowing their herpes status. Cooperative Health in Columbia runs the full five, so a visit doesn't leave that question unanswered.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · 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 less than a mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Forest Acres, 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 Richland 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.
2435 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
3420 Overcreek Road, Columbia, SC 29206
CMS-certified lab
3600 Forest Drive, Suite 400, Columbia, SC 29204
CMS-certified lab
2000 Hampton Street, Attention Linda Strader, Columbia, SC 29204
CMS-certified lab
2611 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Forest Acres. 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, 480 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Forest Acres. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 116 offer telehealth.
Thomas Lucas, MD
Family medicine · 4700 Forest Drive, Columbia
Chun Kim, MD
Family medicine · 4500 Forest Drive, Columbia
Clarence Coker, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 5143 Forest Drive, Columbia
Christian Moore, MD
Internal medicine · 5115 Forest Drive, Columbia
Travis Dice, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 3700 Forest Drive, Columbia
Mohan Natrajan, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 3700 Forest Drive, Columbia
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 Forest Acres, SC 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.
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1.2 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Forest Acres, SC.
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 Forest Acres, 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.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
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
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 Richland County, the county that includes Forest Acres, compare with South Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~21% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#9 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 80% of the state
| Infection | Richland County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 961.3 4,087 cases ▲ 57% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 403.9 1,717 cases ▲ 82% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 25.2 107 cases ▲ 46% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 31.3 133 cases ▲ 66% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 48.9 208 cases ▲ 318% | 11.7 | 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 Richland County, chlamydia has fallen from 1319.2 to 961.3 per 100,000 (27%), gonorrhea has fallen from 602.2 to 403.9 per 100,000 (33%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 16.1 to 25.2 per 100,000 (57%).
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 Richland County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: South Carolina 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.
Richland County HIV care continuum (2023)
Richland County recorded 32.1 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Richland County residents living with HIV, 82% are in care · 70.6% 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 Richland County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Two Notch Road cuts through Forest Acres with the kind of everyday rhythm that makes it easy to fold errands into a weekday, and that same practical geography shapes how residents think about health care. The city leans heavily toward homeownership, which tends to anchor people here for years rather than months, and with roughly a third of households earning six figures, there is real financial footing in the community. Still, the majority of that workforce is carrying mortgages on homes in neighborhoods like Brandywine and Kilbourne Heights, and a mortgage on a $193,000 house leaves less discretionary room than the income numbers alone might suggest. For the share of residents who do rent, under a thousand dollars a month is a workable number by many standards, but it still competes with every other line item when a medical appointment feels optional.
That pressure lands unevenly on young adults in their late teens and twenties, the years when STI rates run highest and when people are least likely to have an established primary-care relationship or paid sick leave to spare for a midday appointment. Richland County's STI figures give that age reality a local weight that is hard to ignore. The options are listed here, drawing from in and around Forest Acres, with varying hours and fees that matter when a household's one employed adult is already stretched across a 40-plus-hour week. Residents along the North Beltline Boulevard corridor, in particular, are well-positioned to check distance and hours before committing to a route.
Getting there
Forest Acres scores 13.29/20 on the EPA walkability index, so many trips are walkable or a short ride, though a car still gives you the widest choice of testing centers.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 29206 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29206 area around Forest Acres: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Forest Acres alone.
Forest Acres sits in Richland County, ZIP 29206. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Forest Acres? 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 Richland County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under South Carolina 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 Forest Acres-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 Forest Acres 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
South Carolina 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 South CarolinaSource: 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 Colonial Healthcare (0.9 mi); 9 options are within 30 miles.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
Yes, Palss (1.9 mi) offers free testing, and public clinics serve the uninsured.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 961 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the South Carolina average.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 29206; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
Medical records are protected under federal HIPAA law, ask the clinic how it handles your information.
It's reassuring, but if you tested early in the window period, retest a few weeks later to be sure.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.