Forrest County reports about 49 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. In Petal, Mississippi, you may be deciding whether you need testing after a possible exposure or as part of routine care. Public clinics keep costs down, private labs prioritize speed, and at-home kits trade a clinic visit for convenience.
Available testing centers
8 testing options are listed for Petal, MS. The nearest, Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, is about 4.4 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.
Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative in Hattiesburg tests for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B and C, and herpes on a sliding-scale basis, with walk-ins welcome and same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, and every service is provided at no charge.
The zero-cost structure at Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative is built into how the clinic is funded and staffed, not a discount applied at checkout. Testing, STI treatment, vaccines, and PrEP prescriptions are all delivered at no charge to every patient who walks through the door, regardless of coverage or income.
Spanish-language services at Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative are delivered by staff fluent in the language: meaning test counseling, treatment explanations, and PrEP education happen in Spanish as a direct clinical interaction. That's built into how appointments are scheduled and how care is staffed, not arranged on the fly.
Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative maintains an active PrEP and PEP program, meaning the prescriptions, baseline labs, and ongoing monitoring are handled here. A real fit for someone without a primary care provider or who needs prevention medication without the cost barrier, since all services are provided free.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Open Arms Healthcare Center, a community health center in Hattiesburg, brings the continuity of primary care to STI testing (rapid HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and hepatitis A and B) on a sliding-scale fee, by appointment, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, all at no cost.
Open Arms operates on a completely fee-free model: the sliding scale bottoms out at zero, and that floor applies across the entire service menu: testing, STI treatment, PrEP prescriptions, HIV medical care, and counseling. No service exists in a separate, unbilled category.
Spanish is one of the two languages Open Arms Healthcare Center delivers care in directly: meaning medication adherence counseling, HIV prevention education, and STI treatment discussions all happen in Spanish without a relay. For patients who reason about risk and dosing in Spanish, that directness changes the precision of what gets communicated.
Open Arms holds both PrEP and PEP in its standing care model, including PrEP access specifically for uninsured patients at no cost. For anyone without a primary care physician managing HIV prevention, this clinic is the prescribing and monitoring provider. Not a stepping stone to one.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Semrhi Support Services Center in Hattiesburg is a community-based support services center, bringing dedicated STI care outside the typical clinical bureaucracy. Testing covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with walk-ins welcome and fees scaled to what you can pay.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A safety-net federally qualified health center about 6 miles from Petal. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Mississippi State Department of Health in Hattiesburg tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV on a sliding scale, with the HIV test free regardless of income. HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines round out the visit, and bacterial infections are treated same day; an appointment is required. All services carry no fee.
Sliding-scale billing typically leaves a remaining balance even after adjustments: copays, minimums, or line items that survive the discount. At Mississippi State Department of Health in Hattiesburg, the fee schedule bottoms out at zero across the board: testing, treatment, vaccines, and counseling alike.
Many clinics handle Spanish through add-on arrangements that fragment the visit: one person takes your history, another steps in for explanation, and continuity suffers. Mississippi State Department of Health in Hattiesburg delivers care directly in Spanish, keeping the clinical conversation whole from start to finish.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 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 4 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Petal, 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 Forrest 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.
50 Parkway Lane, Petal, MS 39465
CMS-certified lab
50 Parkway Lane Suite 100, Petal, MS 39465
CMS-certified lab
201 South Main Street, Petal, MS 39465
CMS-certified lab
103 Ford Dr Suite B, Petal, MS 39465
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Petal. 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, 190 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Petal. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 79 offer telehealth.
Brett Robbins, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 50 Pkwy Lane, Petal
Eldred Wiser, MD
OB-GYN · 6524 U South Hwy 98, Hattiesburg
Shantele Bolton, MD
OB-GYN · 6524 U South Hwy 98, Hattiesburg
Ikechukwu Okorie, MD
Family medicine · 3700 Hardy Street, Hattiesburg
Quenyatta Echols-Williams, MD
Internal medicine · 68 Old Airport Road, Hattiesburg
Catherine Thomas, MD
Internal medicine · 66 Old Airport Road, Hattiesburg
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 Petal, MS 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.
Park Place Pharmacy
0.6 mi
1.4 mi 
1.6 mi 
1.7 mi Rodgers Family Pharmacy
1.7 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Petal, MS.
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 Petal, 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 $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
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
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 Forrest County, the county that includes Petal, compare with Mississippi and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~28% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#12 of 82 Mississippi counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 85% of the state
| Infection | Forrest County | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1079.2 844 cases ▲ 54% | 700.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 396.4 310 cases ▲ 58% | 251.1 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 99.7 78 cases ▲ 231% | 30.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 44.8 35 cases ▲ 175% | 16.3 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 72.9 57 cases ▲ 13% | 64.8 | 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 Forrest County, chlamydia has fallen from 1195 to 1079.2 per 100,000 (10%), gonorrhea has fallen from 840.6 to 396.4 per 100,000 (53%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 90.8 to 99.7 per 100,000 (10%).
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 Forrest County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Mississippi 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.
Forrest County HIV care continuum (2023)
Forrest County recorded 48.7 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 21.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Forrest County residents living with HIV, 77.7% are in care · 69.4% 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 Forrest County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Along MS 42, where the Evelyn Gandy Parkway carries commuters in and out of Hattiesburg, a monthly rent of $884 can look reasonable right up until an unexpected bill quietly erases every dollar of cushion. That's the quiet arithmetic that shapes healthcare decisions in Petal: when the budget is tight, a screening appointment competes with groceries, gas down MS 42, and every other recurring bill. For younger adults in their late teens and twenties, the years when STI rates run highest, that calculation is especially sharp, because those same years often mean lower wages, fewer paid sick hours, and less flexibility to step away from work. The workforce picture adds another layer. With more than a third of adults outside the labor force and unemployment running at a meaningful clip, schedules aren't always the predictable nine-to-five that makes daytime appointments easy to keep.
But they're also not flush with employer-sponsored coverage that would make cost feel trivial. The roughly two-thirds of Petal residents who own their homes, many raising households larger than the national average, are often stretched across school runs, work shifts, and family obligations that leave narrow windows for self-care. The testing options listed here include low-cost and sliding-scale sites, which matters when every dollar is doing double duty. Finding a location reachable off Highway 11 without a long detour, on a schedule that doesn't require burning a vacation day, is exactly what makes the difference for people in Harvey or Carterville who'd otherwise let a routine test wait another season.
Getting there
At 5.94/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Petal 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 39465 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 39465 area around Petal: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Petal alone.
Petal sits in Forrest County, ZIP 39465. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Petal? 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 Forrest County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Mississippi 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 Petal-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 Petal 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Mississippi 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 MississippiSource: 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.
Free at public clinics. Private labs run about $24 for one test and $139 for a full panel; at-home kits are $49+.
Yes, free HIV testing is available at public clinics in the area.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Forrest County reported ~1,079 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the Mississippi average.
At-home kits mail to 39465: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
In Mississippi, 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.
Get treated, notify partners, pause sex until cleared, and follow up, the infection is manageable.
Often, yes, especially throat and rectal infections, which is why site-specific testing matters.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.