In Ocean County, New Jersey, new HIV diagnoses run about 70% lower than the US average. Whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening for anyone in Ship Bottom, New Jersey, you have several options to weigh. Public clinics keep costs down, private labs prioritize speed, and at-home kits trade a clinic visit for convenience. See the options listed below.
Available testing centers
6 testing options are listed for Ship Bottom, NJ. The nearest, Quest Diagnostics, is about 5.5 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.
OHI - Little Egg, in Tuckerton, carries federal qualification that ties its fees directly to each patient's income. No one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-ins are welcome for sliding-scale STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Ocean Health Initiatives in Little Egg Harbor covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, HIV, and TB testing, with same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs and sliding-scale fees for all. Appointments are required; Spanish and interpretation services are available.
Ocean Health Initiatives provides care in Spanish and offers interpretation services for additional languages: meaning clinical conversations about symptoms, treatment plans, and PrEP eligibility unfold in the language a person actually uses, without outsourcing that exchange to a separate service.
Prevention-focused sexual health care often ends at PrEP, post-exposure coverage is left to emergency rooms or infectious disease referrals. Ocean Health Initiatives carries both PrEP and PEP, making it one clinic where the full arc of HIV prevention is a standing service, not an exception.
Herpes screening sits alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV on Ocean Health Initiatives' panel. A distinction that matters because herpes is absent from many basic four-infection offerings, leaving a common infection undetected without a separate appointment elsewhere.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Dec 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 Ship Bottom, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Ocean 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.
886 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701
CMS-certified lab
368 Lakehurst Road, Toms River, NJ 08755
CMS-certified lab
600 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Ship Bottom. 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, 508 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Ship Bottom. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 191 offer telehealth.
Arthur Braunwell, MD
Family medicine · 901 Long Beach Boulevard, Ship Bottom
Andrew Romano, DO
Internal medicine · 703 Mill Creek Road, Manahawkin
Poonam Soni, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 697 Mill Creek Road, Manahawkin
Vincent Abenante, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 588 East Bay Avenue, Manahawkin
Kenneth Prins, MD
Internal medicine · 83 East Bay Avenue, Manahawkin
Neelam Gidwaney, MD
Internal medicine · 1301 Route 72 West, Manahawkin
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 Ship Bottom, NJ 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.
0.4 mi Pharmacy Solutions
1.9 miShoprite Pharmacy
3.5 mi
4.1 mi 
4.1 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Ship Bottom, NJ.
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 Ship Bottom, 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 Ocean County, the county that includes Ship Bottom, compare with New Jersey and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~10% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#19 of 21 New Jersey counties for chlamydia, among the lowest in the state
| Infection | Ocean County | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 174 1,147 cases ▼ 55% | 384.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 23.7 156 cases ▼ 78% | 109.1 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 2.3 15 cases ▼ 72% | 8.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 3.2 21 cases ▼ 69% | 10.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 4.2 28 cases ▼ 74% | 16 | 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 Ocean County, chlamydia has risen from 164 to 174 per 100,000 (6%), gonorrhea has fallen from 33.3 to 23.7 per 100,000 (29%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 2.8 to 2.3 per 100,000 (18%).
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 Ocean County.
Local HIV snapshot
Ocean County HIV care continuum (2023)
Ocean County recorded 4.1 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 11.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Ocean County residents living with HIV, 80.7% are in care · 75.3% 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 Ocean County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Ship Bottom's compact geography means residents often travel to neighboring towns for medical care, a practical reality that shapes where testing happens. The island's established households and family-centered character coexist with a significant population of young adults in their late teens through thirties, the years when confidential screening fits naturally into health routines. Testing sites listed on this page cluster in nearby communities accessible from the island, reflecting how care-seeking works here: you don't expect everything on your doorstep, but you know where to go. What matters most in a place where people tend to stay put is that confidentiality genuinely holds. Clinics and urgent-care centers beyond Ship Bottom's borders understand that discretion isn't negotiable, results don't circle back through town gossip or casual conversation.
A young person in a long-established family, or someone newly moved to the island, can walk into testing knowing the information stays sealed. The tests themselves are straightforward and quick, offered at the facilities listed on this page without judgment or delay. Whether you're establishing baseline health care after moving to the area, or checking in as part of regular wellness, the process is the same: call ahead, show up, get results. The distance to a testing site is a minor inconvenience; the privacy and clarity are what residents actually need.
Getting there
At 9.25/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Ship Bottom 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.
Ship Bottom sits in Ocean County, ZIP 8008. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Ship Bottom? 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 Ocean County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under New Jersey 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 Ship Bottom-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 Ship Bottom 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey, a minor can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment at any age, and to HIV testing at age 13 or older; a provider may notify a parent, and must do so where sexual assault is involved.
New Jersey 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 New JerseySource: 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 6 options within a 30-mile drive.
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.
Ocean County reported ~174 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the New Jersey average.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In New Jersey, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Clinics give immediate care and treatment; home kits win on convenience and discretion. Either works.
Pregnancy screening is standard; ask about an early-pregnancy STI panel.
Telling recent partners lets them test and treat; many health departments offer confidential partner-notification help.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.