Local gonorrhea rates in Mesa County are 55% lower than the U.S. average. If you're in Palisade, Colorado, and wondering whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening for gonorrhea, there are options. Some clinics let you walk in for same-day testing, while labs and at-home kits let you schedule around your own time. The entries below offer all these options.
Available testing centers
8 testing options are listed for Palisade, CO. The nearest, Mesa County Health Department, is about 7.1 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.
Mesa County Health Department in Grand Junction tests for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and hepatitis C on a sliding-scale fee with donations accepted: same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, PrEP prescriptions on-site, and appointments required; all services are provided at no fee.
Sliding scale here bottoms out at nothing, donations are accepted, but no service at Mesa County Health Department carries a mandatory charge. That zero applies to the full panel, PrEP initiation, vaccines, and STI treatment equally, with no carve-outs by service type.
Spanish-language care at Mesa County Health Department is a direct staff capability, which means clinical detail (dosing instructions, PrEP adherence conversations, treatment timelines) moves between provider and patient without a relay step that could introduce gaps or delay.
As a Title X site, Mesa County Health Department is federally required to keep family planning services for minors legally confidential. Meaning the record is structurally isolated from parental or guardian access, not simply handled carefully. That separation is a statutory obligation, not a policy preference.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
PrimeHealth+ Main Clinic in Grand Junction operates under federal qualification that anchors its sliding-scale fee structure to patient income, ensuring cost never blocks care. Walk-ins are welcome for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with fees adjusted to what each patient can actually pay.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A safety-net federally qualified health center · NHSC sliding-fee site about 10 miles from Palisade. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Listing verified Oct 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
PrimeHealth+ Primary Care Partners in Grand Junction meets patients who are paying out of pocket, between providers, or working with limited income: offering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening through federally qualified health center status that anchors fees to a sliding scale based on what each person actually earns.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
PrimeHealth+12th Street Clinic in Grand Junction welcomes patients regardless of insurance status, including those paying out of pocket or between providers. Federal FQHC designation anchors its sliding-scale fees, making syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening genuinely affordable across income levels. No appointment needed.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
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 7 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Palisade, 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 value: single tests
$49 & 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 Mesa 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.
2655 Little Bookcliff Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81501
CMS-certified lab
2635 North 7th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 2 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Palisade. 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, 171 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Palisade. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 39 offer telehealth.
Lars Stangebye, MD
Family medicine · 569 32 Road, Grand Junction
Megan Lykke, MD
Family medicine · 526 29, Grand Junction
Jennifer Stroh, DO
Family medicine · 526 29, Grand Junction
Kevin Fitzgerald, MD
Family medicine · 510 29, Grand Junction
David Johansen, MD
Internal medicine · 607 28, Grand Junction
Mark Twardowski, DO
Internal medicine · 743 Horizon Court, Grand Jct
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 Palisade, CO 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.
Palisade Pharmacy
0.2 mi
5.6 mi City Market Pharmacy
5.7 mi
6.4 mi Showing the 4 closest pharmacies to Palisade, CO.
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 Palisade, 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
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
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 Mesa County, the county that includes Palisade, compare with Colorado and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~17% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#16 of 64 Colorado counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 75% of the state
| Infection | Mesa County | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 350.1 559 cases ▼ 20% | 435.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 81.4 130 cases ▼ 37% | 128.7 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 19.4 31 cases ▲ 21% | 16 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 6.3 10 cases ▼ 39% | 10.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 17.5 28 cases ▼ 38% | 28.4 | 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 Mesa County, chlamydia has fallen from 384.7 to 350.1 per 100,000 (9%), gonorrhea has fallen from 154.1 to 81.4 per 100,000 (47%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 1.9 to 19.4 per 100,000 (921%).
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 Mesa County.
Local HIV snapshot
Mesa County HIV care continuum (2022)
Mesa County recorded 4.4 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2022), against 9.6 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Mesa County residents living with HIV, 79.2% are in care · 72.9% 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 Mesa County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Palisade draws young adults with orchard work, seasonal fruit packing, and the kind of housing costs that let you actually build something here. A rarity in the region. That same practicality applies to sexual health. Testing in and around Palisade is available through the clinics and providers listed on this page, and the confidentiality built into those visits means your results belong to you alone.
No shared waiting rooms, no gossip, no surprise encounters with someone you know. The community includes plenty of people in their late teens and twenties who understand that routine screening isn't paranoia, it's baseline self-knowledge. A negative result is peace of mind; a positive one is information that lets you treat early and protect partners. Either way, you get facts instead of worry.
Getting tested near Peach Bowl Park or anywhere else in town takes less than an hour and costs far less than the anxiety of not knowing. The testing sites and clinics available in and around Palisade offer appointments that fit around work schedules, and most results come back within days.
Getting there
At 5.47/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Palisade 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 81526 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 81526 area around Palisade: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Palisade alone.
Palisade sits in Mesa County, ZIP 81526. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Palisade? 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 Mesa County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Colorado 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 Palisade-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 Palisade 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 Colorado 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 Colorado, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Colorado 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 ColoradoSource: 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 7 options within a 30-mile drive.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Mesa County reported ~350 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Colorado average.
At-home kits mail to 81526: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
In Colorado, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Reassuring if you tested after the window, just retest if it was early, and screen again with new partners.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.