Syphilis in St. Tammany Parish runs about 47% lower than the US average. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind in Howze Beach, Louisiana, weigh your options: public clinics prioritize cost, private labs offer faster turnaround, and kits give you convenience without leaving home.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Howze Beach, LA. The nearest, Clinical Pathology Labs, is about 4.9 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.
St Tammany Community Health Center - Slidell, in Slidell, welcomes patients without an appointment for STI screening under its federally qualified health center charter. A single walk-in visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing, with fees set on a sliding scale tied to household income.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
St. Tammany Slidell CHC in Slidell welcomes walk-ins for STI screening without requiring an appointment. Federal qualification anchors its sliding-scale fee structure, making syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing available at costs tied to household income, so a single visit can cover the full standard panel.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Ochsner Health Center in Slidell brings STI testing through its established clinical infrastructure, covering the standard bacterial and viral panel on a sliding-scale fee (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV) with appointments required and same-visit treatment available for bacterial infections.
Ochsner Slidell runs herpes serology, hepatitis B surface antigen, and hepatitis C antibody testing as integrated orders alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. Meaning a single appointment can produce results across all seven infections rather than requiring separate referrals for the viral components.
Spanish-language services at Ochsner Health Center are built into the clinical staff, so counseling, symptom review, and treatment instructions are conducted directly in Spanish. The same provider interaction, without routing through a secondary layer.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 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 5 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Howze Beach, 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 St. Tammany 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.
100 Medical Center Drive 1st Floor, Slidell, LA 70461
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
2780 Gause Boulevard, Slidell, LA 70461
CMS-certified lab
300 Gateway Drive, Slidell, LA 70461
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Howze Beach. 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, 892 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Howze Beach. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 253 offer telehealth.
Neal Pavlov, MD
Internal medicine · 100 Medical Ctr Drive, Slidell
Alexandra Mccarty, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 100 Medical Ctr Drive, Slidell
Stephanie Short, MD
Internal medicine · 1001 Gause Boulevard, Slidell
Andrea Paredes Henriquez, MD
Internal medicine · 1001 Gause Boulevard, Slidell
Nelly Aoun, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 1001 Gause Boulevard, Slidell
Thomas Hall, MD
Internal medicine · 1051 Gause Boulevard, Slidell
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 Howze Beach, 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.
2.6 mi 
3.6 mi Family Drug Mart
5.3 miOchsner Pharmacy and Wellness
5.3 miShowing the 4 closest pharmacies to Howze Beach, 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 Howze Beach, 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 $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
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 St. Tammany Parish, the parish that includes Howze Beach, compare with Louisiana and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~25% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#61 of 64 Louisiana counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 5% of the state
| Infection | St. Tammany Parish | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 417.7 1,151 cases ▼ 47% | 792.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 116.1 320 cases ▼ 60% | 288.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 8.3 23 cases ▼ 68% | 26.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 6.9 19 cases ▼ 65% | 19.6 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 16.3 45 cases ▼ 69% | 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 St. Tammany Parish, chlamydia has risen from 367.4 to 417.7 per 100,000 (14%), gonorrhea has fallen from 130 to 116.1 per 100,000 (11%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 4.9 to 8.3 per 100,000 (69%).
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 St. Tammany Parish.
Local HIV snapshot
St. Tammany Parish HIV care continuum (2023)
St. Tammany Parish recorded 7.8 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 22.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among St. Tammany Parish residents living with HIV, 84.8% are in care · 78.3% 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 St. Tammany Parish tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Howze Beach draws people who come to stay: families who buy on the water, young adults anchoring themselves near extended relatives, professionals who find the commute to the city manageable and the neighborhood worth it. That stability means many residents value their privacy, and a good number are at the age when sexual health screening becomes routine rather than exceptional. Testing in and around Howze Beach is available through the clinics listed on this page, and the local medical infrastructure reflects a community where people expect straightforward, discreet care without fanfare or waiting. The stretch around Oak Harbor and Fritchie Park fills with people who know their neighbors and their neighbors' routines, which is precisely why confidentiality matters here as a practical necessity, not a luxury. A young adult or anyone in an established household can access testing without worrying that results will surface in conversation at the grocery store or around the dock.
The clinics serving Howze Beach understand that discretion is woven into how people live here. Testing venues in and around town operate with the understanding that residents are busy, working, raising families, managing households. That means finding a clinic that fits your schedule and respects your time is as important as the care itself. Whether you're establishing a baseline, following up after exposure, or screening as part of routine health maintenance, the testing sites listed on this page reflect what a established community actually needs from its health services.
Getting there
At 7.02/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Howze Beach 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 70461 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 70461 area around Howze Beach: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Howze Beach alone.
Howze Beach sits in St. Tammany Parish, ZIP 70461. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Howze Beach? 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 St. Tammany 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 Howze Beach-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 Howze Beach 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.
Yes, several local labs offer same-day walk-in testing; best to call first.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Public health clinics nearby provide free testing.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
St. Tammany Parish reported ~418 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Louisiana average.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
In Louisiana, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Your results are part of your HIPAA-protected medical record; you can ask any clinic about its own privacy practices.
Yes, syphilis is cured with antibiotics (usually penicillin), and earlier treatment prevents long-term damage.
Many STIs are fully cured with antibiotics; others, like HIV and herpes, are well managed with treatment.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.