Lauderdale County sees about 13% fewer new HIV diagnoses than the national US average. Whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening in Houstontown, Alabama, weigh the pros and cons of public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits. Each option offers a different trade-off.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Houstontown, AL. The nearest, Family Health Care Clinic, Inc. --Rogersville, is about 8.2 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.
A safety-net federally qualified health center about 8 miles from Houstontown. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A community safety-net rural health clinic about 13 miles from Houstontown. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Thrive Alabama in Florence tests for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and hepatitis A, B, and C. With same-visit treatment for bacterial infections confirmed on the spot. Appointments are required, and every service is provided at no fee, with sliding-scale fees and insurance also accepted.
All services at Thrive Alabama carry no charge, which means testing, treatment, counseling, and prevention education are available without weighing one against another. That frees the visit to be shaped entirely by what you need, not what you can afford that week.
Thrive Alabama delivers care in Spanish, so conversations about symptoms, treatment options, and prevention happen with real fluency on both sides. The clinical relationship works the way it should: clearly, directly, and without anything getting lost.
Without a clinic that prescribes PrEP and PEP directly, preventing HIV can mean a separate provider, a delayed prescription, and a gap where risk stays open. Thrive Alabama writes those prescriptions in-house, so prevention and testing live in the same appointment.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jan 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 about 8 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Houstontown, 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 value: single tests
$49 & 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 Lauderdale 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.
422 East Dr Hicks Boulevard, Florence, AL 35630
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
145 Ana Drive, Florence, AL 35630
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
421 West College, Florence, AL 35630
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Houstontown. 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, 161 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Houstontown. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 25 offer telehealth.
David Hollis, MD
Family medicine · 148 J C Mauldin Highway, Killen
Alexis Mason, MD
Family medicine · 16053 Hwy 72, Rogersville
Antonio Meza, MD
Family medicine · 351 Hwy 64, Killen
Bryan Grissett, DO
Internal medicine · 145 Ana Drive, Florence
Andres Gutierrez Ordonez, MD Telehealth
Infectious disease · 123 Ana Drive, Florence
Milton George, DO
Family medicine · 2908 Mall Drive, Florence
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 Houstontown, 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.
Crossroads Pharmacy
3.0 miFord City Pharmacy
6.4 miKillen Corner Drugs
6.4 miProfessional Customized Medications
6.4 miBrewer Family Pharmacy
6.9 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Houstontown, 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 Houstontown, 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 Lauderdale County, the county that includes Houstontown, compare with Alabama 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.
#47 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 30% of the state
| Infection | Lauderdale County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 383.2 371 cases ▼ 41% | 651.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 134.3 130 cases ▼ 41% | 226.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 10.3 10 cases ▼ 64% | 28.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 5.2 5 cases ▼ 75% | 20.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 13.4 13 cases ▼ 45% | 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 Lauderdale County, chlamydia has fallen from 486.3 to 383.2 per 100,000 (21%), gonorrhea has fallen from 277.9 to 134.3 per 100,000 (52%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 19.2 to 10.3 per 100,000 (46%).
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 Lauderdale 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.
Lauderdale County HIV care continuum (2023)
Lauderdale County recorded 11.9 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 16.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Lauderdale County residents living with HIV, 85.9% are in care · 65.9% 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 Lauderdale County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Along US 72, where Houstontown spreads out past Barkley Cemetery and into stretches of land where most households have owned their homes for generations, a rent bill pushing a thousand dollars a month falls on younger renters like a weight that touches every decision. Including whether a screening visit is something they can actually afford to schedule. When cost is already a source of friction, a fee-waived or sliding-scale clinic isn't just convenient; it's the thing that makes follow-through realistic. Houstontown's landscape adds its own layer to that calculus.
The community's labor-force participation rate is solid, and with unemployment as low as it is here, a lot of people are working, which means weekday daytime appointments aren't always an option. Clinics with evening or weekend hours, or same-day slots, make a real difference for anyone running a full schedule. That matters most for the late teens and twentysomethings whose age group sees the steepest STI rates nationally, a population that in Houstontown is smaller proportionally but no less in need of easy, affordable access. Testing options are listed on this page; the practical question is which one sits on a route you're already driving on US 72.
Getting there
At 4.8/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Houstontown 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 35645 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 35645 area around Houstontown: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Houstontown alone.
Houstontown sits in Lauderdale County, ZIP 35645. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Houstontown? 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 Lauderdale 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 Houstontown-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 Houstontown 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, Rogersville, AL is close; compare it by distance against Family Health Care Clinic, Inc. --Rogersville.
Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.
Public clinics nearby offer free HIV testing.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 383 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below 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.
Yes, partners should test and be treated together to avoid passing it back and forth.
Yes, from a reputable lab, confirm any positive with a clinician for treatment.
Start treatment, tell recent partners so they can test, avoid sex until cleared, and retest if advised, most STIs resolve with care.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.