Syphilis was reported in St. Bernard Parish at a rate about 14% higher than the national average. If you've had a recent risk or simply test on a regular schedule in Poydras, Louisiana, you can weigh the convenience of same-day testing against booking an appointment that works with your schedule. Below are the options.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Poydras, LA. The nearest, Belle Chasse Community Health Center, is about 6.0 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.
Belle Chasse Community Health Center, in Belle Chasse, anchors its STI care in federal qualification that mandates sliding-scale fees tied to income. Meaning cost adjusts to what patients actually earn. Walk-in screening covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with no one turned away for inability to pay.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Baptist Community Health Services in Chalmette tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, and hepatitis C on a sliding-scale fee open to everyone: walk-ins welcome, same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, with staff who see patients in Chinese and Spanish.
Gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV make up the floor at most testing sites: herpes and hepatitis C get left off, or routed to a separate appointment. At Baptist Community Health Services, both are part of the same visit, so a single trip produces a fuller picture of what's actually circulating.
Baptist Community Health Services prescribes and manages both PrEP and PEP directly: meaning the baseline HIV test, the prescription itself, and the follow-up monitoring that PrEP requires every three months all happen within the same clinic, without splitting care across separate providers.
Most clinics handle a second language through a remote line, the clinical conversation stays in English. Baptist Community Health Services delivers actual care in Chinese and Spanish, so the questions, the counseling, and the results discussion happen in the language the patient brought through the door.
Languages
Chinese, English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
St Thomas Community Health Center in Gretna tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis C on a sliding-scale fee that applies to everyone, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections; appointments are required, and PrEP and PEP are available on-site.
St Thomas carries both PrEP and PEP as standing services, which means someone paying cash without a regular prescriber can get the medication and follow-up in one place. No separate specialty appointment required. Coverage for PrEP extends to uninsured patients specifically.
When hepatitis C is detected, St Thomas moves directly into treatment. Clinicians prescribe antivirals and monitor response through the course of care on-site. The same facility that runs the antibody test carries the clinical staff and prescribing capacity to manage what it finds.
Beyond the four bacterial and viral STIs, St Thomas includes hepatitis C in its testing panel, which means a single visit can surface an infection that often goes undetected for years and connects the patient directly to treatment without an additional referral loop.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jun 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Common Ground Health Clinic-Gretna meets patients where they are (uninsured, between providers, or paying out of pocket) through its federally qualified status, which anchors sliding-scale fees to income. STI screening here covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with no appointment needed to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Ochsner Health Center in Chalmette tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and TB. With same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs. Fees run on a standard insurance and Medicaid/Medicare billing model, with appointments required. Care is available in Spanish.
Leaving herpes or hepatitis untested means carrying an unknown status until symptoms force a separate appointment somewhere else, often weeks later. Ochsner Health Center in Chalmette runs herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C alongside the standard bacterial panel, so a single visit closes those gaps rather than opening new ones.
When a language barrier sits between a patient and their provider, treatment decisions stall: instructions go partially understood, follow-up gets skipped, and an otherwise manageable STI stretches into a longer problem. At Ochsner Health Center in Chalmette, Spanish-language care is delivered directly, so nothing about diagnosis, treatment, or next steps gets lost between the exam room and the door.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 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 6 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Poydras, 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 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 St. Bernard 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.
8000 West Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, LA 70043
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
Showing the nearest 1 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Poydras. 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, 708 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Poydras. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 196 offer telehealth.
Kevin Joseph, MD
Family medicine · 8200 Hwy 23, Belle Chasse
Angelica Ukaigwe, MD
Internal medicine · 8712 Hwy 23, Belle Chasse
Nadja Jones, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 7772 Belle Chasse Highway, Belle Chase
Ronald Mclendon, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 306 West Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette
Hop Duong, MD
Family medicine · 9061 West Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette
Paul Verrette, MD
Internal medicine · 8321 Lafitte Court, Chalmette
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 Poydras, 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.
B Bayhi Enterprises
0.6 miBradley Pharmacy
0.6 mi
5.4 mi 
5.5 mi Showing the 4 closest pharmacies to Poydras, 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 Poydras, 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 St. Bernard Parish, the parish that includes Poydras, compare with Louisiana and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~32% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#13 of 64 Louisiana counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 80% of the state
| Infection | St. Bernard Parish | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 922.1 410 cases ▲ 16% | 792.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 364.3 162 cases ▲ 26% | 288.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 18 8 cases ▼ 31% | 26.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 13.5 6 cases ▼ 31% | 19.6 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 29.2 13 cases ▼ 44% | 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. Bernard Parish, chlamydia has risen from 719.8 to 922.1 per 100,000 (28%), gonorrhea has risen from 297 to 364.3 per 100,000 (23%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 16 to 18 per 100,000 (13%).
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. Bernard Parish.
Local HIV snapshot
St. Bernard Parish HIV care continuum (2023)
St. Bernard Parish recorded 35.7 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 22.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among St. Bernard Parish residents living with HIV, 85.4% are in care · 75.7% 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. Bernard Parish tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
East Judge Perez Drive cuts through a community where nearly half of adults are married and households average close to four people, a scale where one person's health decision quietly ripples through an entire family under one roof. That family-centered character shapes how people here think about care: scheduling anything means coordinating around others, and with labor-force participation running below the national norm alongside meaningful unemployment, both time and money carry real weight. Those pressures land hardest on younger adults (people in their late teens and twenties forming relationships, changing partners, and navigating stretches of financial uncertainty) for whom a long drive with unpredictable hours or an out-of-pocket fee can be the reason a test never gets booked.
With only a small slice of households reaching high-income territory and a typical rent that still bites on a constrained budget, even modest testing fees factor into the calculus. St. Bernard Parish's STI figures reflect a community where staying current matters, and for someone living here, that means knowing which listed option fits a complicated schedule before the need becomes urgent.
Getting there
At 3.71/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Poydras 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 70085 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 70085 area around Poydras: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Poydras alone.
Poydras sits in St. Bernard Parish, ZIP 70085. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Poydras? 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. Bernard 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 Poydras-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 Poydras 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.
There are 9 options within a 30-mile drive.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it.
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.
St. Bernard Parish reported ~922 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the Louisiana average.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In Louisiana, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Reputable kits use the same lab methods as clinics; any positive should be confirmed and treated by a provider.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.