Jefferson County reports about 44 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. If you are in Gardendale, Alabama and are looking to get tested before starting a new relationship or as part of ongoing care, know that clinics may bill insurance, while private labs typically offer a flat self-pay price. See the options below.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Gardendale, AL. The nearest, Labcorp, is about 1.1 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.
Alabama Pregnancy Test Center in Fultondale tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, with treatment for bacterial infections handled at the same visit, and accepts donations in place of fees, making every service free to anyone who walks through the door. Appointments are required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
CHC - Roebuck in Birmingham earned its federally qualified designation by building care around patients who pay out of pocket, carry no insurance, or find themselves between providers. Sliding-scale fees adjust to income, and walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Oak Street Health in Birmingham tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B and C, and TB, and treats bacterial STIs the same visit, on a sliding-scale fee open to everyone; appointments are required.
Leaving hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or herpes undetected means carrying an untreated infection while assuming a standard panel covered everything. Oak Street Health's testing menu includes all three, so a single appointment resolves what a narrower panel would have left open.
Oak Street Health prescribes both PrEP and PEP directly, which means ongoing HIV prevention is managed by the same provider reading your test results. No separate referral chain to navigate before a prescription is in hand.
Without Spanish-language care at Oak Street Health in Birmingham, a Spanish-speaking patient faces a second appointment at a different provider just to understand a diagnosis or treatment plan. A gap where follow-through breaks down. Oak Street delivers the full visit, counseling included, in Spanish.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Jefferson County Department of Health in Birmingham runs a full diagnostic panel (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV) with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections confirmed on-site. Appointments are required, fees slide with income, and all services are provided at no cost.
Sliding-scale clinics routinely reduce costs, they rarely eliminate them entirely. At Jefferson County Department of Health, every service on the menu, from testing through treatment, is provided at no fee, so the bill at the end of the visit is simply nothing.
Many clinics handle non-English speakers through workarounds that keep the patient one step removed from the actual conversation. Jefferson County Department of Health offers Spanish directly alongside interpretation services for other languages, so the exchange between patient and provider stays immediate and unfiltered.
Jefferson County Department of Health prescribes DoxyPEP, doxycycline taken after a sexual exposure to reduce the risk of bacterial STIs, which means patients with an active prevention strategy can leave the visit with that prescription in hand rather than pursuing it separately.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Alabama Regional Medical Services in Birmingham tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV, treating bacterial infections the same visit when needed. Fees run on a sliding scale accepted by Medicaid and most insurers, and walk-ins are welcome.
Alabama Regional Medical Services tests for herpes in addition to gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. That means one visit produces a fuller picture, no second appointment at a separate lab to close the gap on a common infection the basic panel leaves out.
Prevention-focused HIV care often stops at testing and counseling, leaving patients to find a prescriber on their own for PrEP or PEP. Alabama Regional Medical Services carries both, meaning prevention medications are initiated and managed at the same clinic where testing happens.
Alabama Regional Medical Services maintains Spanish-language services and on-site interpretation for other languages, not a scheduled add-on but a staffed capability. Clinical conversations, counseling, and follow-up all run in the language the visit actually requires.
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
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 1 mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Gardendale, 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & 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 Jefferson 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.
960 Rocket Way Suite 110, Gardendale, AL 35071
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
960 Rocket Way Suite 100, Gardendale, AL 35071
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
430 Fieldstown Road, Gardendale, AL 35071
CMS-certified lab
931 Sharit Ave Suite #2, Gardendale, AL 35071
CMS-certified lab
2215 Decatur Highway, Suite 101, Gardendale, AL 35071
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Gardendale. 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, 906 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Gardendale. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 184 offer telehealth.
David Mulkey, MD
Family medicine · 2215 Decatur Highway, Gardendale
Sirisha Chada, MD
Family medicine · 2217 Decatur Highway, Gardendale
A. Snowden, MD
OB-GYN · 2217 Decatur Highway, Gardendale
Arthur Patton, MD
Family medicine · 527 Fieldstown Road, Gardendale
Stevie Bennett
OB-GYN · 2528 Caufield Drive, Gardendale
Benjamin Broome, MD
Internal medicine · 592 Fieldstown Road, Gardendale
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 Gardendale, 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.
Food World Pharmacy
0.7 miJ and J Drug
0.8 mi
1.0 mi Gardendale Pharmacy
1.1 mi
1.1 mi 
1.2 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Gardendale, 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 Gardendale, 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
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
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 Jefferson County, the county that includes Gardendale, compare with Alabama and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~20% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#14 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 79% of the state
| Infection | Jefferson County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 852.9 5,654 cases ▲ 31% | 651.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 355.9 2,359 cases ▲ 57% | 226.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 44.2 293 cases ▲ 55% | 28.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 36.2 240 cases ▲ 77% | 20.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 29.6 196 cases ▲ 21% | 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 Jefferson County, chlamydia has risen from 759 to 852.9 per 100,000 (12%), gonorrhea has fallen from 463.5 to 355.9 per 100,000 (23%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 14.4 to 44.2 per 100,000 (207%).
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 Jefferson 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.
Jefferson County HIV care continuum (2023)
Jefferson County recorded 26.4 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 16.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Jefferson County residents living with HIV, 68.6% are in care · 45.2% 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 Jefferson County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Black Creek Park draws families and longtime residents alike, the kind of place where people settle in and stay. That stability shapes how Gardendale approaches health care, including STI testing. Young adults moving through their twenties and thirties often live here while building careers and families, and many value the discretion that comes with getting screened on their own terms, away from workplace gossip or the feeling of running into someone you know. Testing services in and around Gardendale listed on this page reflect what a health-conscious community expects: straightforward access, clear results, and genuine privacy. Providers understand that even in a town where neighbors recognize each other and roots run deep, a person's medical decisions belong to them alone.
The clinics serving Gardendale handle routine screening with the same professionalism you'd find anywhere, no judgment, no surprises. Whether you're managing routine health maintenance or responding to a specific concern, getting tested fits naturally into the health choices available here. Results remain confidential, and the process itself is quick enough to fit into a lunch break or weekend. Gardendale residents who value their privacy and their health have found that straightforward testing removes one source of uncertainty from their lives.
Getting there
At 5.41/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Gardendale 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 35071 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 35071 area around Gardendale: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Gardendale alone.
Gardendale sits in Jefferson County, ZIP 35071. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Gardendale? 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 Jefferson 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 Gardendale-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 Gardendale 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.
Possibly, Center Point, AL is close; compare it by distance against Labcorp.
Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.
Yes, Alabama Pregnancy Test Center (4.4 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 853 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Alabama average.
In Alabama, 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.
Some HPV types can lead to cervical and other cancers over time, which is why screening and the HPV vaccine matter.
No HIV found; just confirm with a retest if you tested soon after a possible exposure.
That's a myth; STIs need sexual contact to spread, not surfaces.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.