STD Testing in Short Creek, AL: Free, Same-Day & Confidential
Jefferson County reports about 44 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, well above the U.S. average. Whether it's your first test or a routine screening in Short Creek, Alabama, decide whether you prioritize an immediate visit or fitting it around your schedule. Different options suit different priorities; see your choices below.
7 testing options are listed for Short Creek, AL. The nearest, Cahaba Medical Care, is about 11.5 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
How to read these listings
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.
Premium Partner
Quest Diagnostics
Most popular Results in 1–2 days
4.4(8)?
Review sources
Google7
EasySTD1
Rated 4.4 out of 5 from 8 reviews
Address
833 Princeton Avenue Southwest, Birmingham, AL 35211 15.2 miles away
Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.
Community health center 11.5 miles
Cahaba Medical Care
4.5(58)?
Review sources
Google53
EasySTD5
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 58 reviews
Cahaba Medical Care in Fairfield runs STI testing and treatment through a community health model, covering gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee open to everyone: with appointments required and same-visit treatment available for bacterial infections, plus PrEP and PEP for ongoing prevention.
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PrEP and PEP Prescribed Without a Specialist Referral
Cahaba Medical Care holds PrEP and PEP as standing services: meaning anyone without a dedicated infectious disease provider, or anyone paying cash who needs prevention medication managed in one place, can get it prescribed, monitored, and refilled here rather than chasing a separate specialist.
Hepatitis C Added to the Standard Infection Panel
Beyond gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, Cahaba tests for hepatitis C. Drawn as part of the same visit, processed through the clinic's own ordering workflow, with reactive results feeding directly into care management on-site rather than exiting the system at the antibody stage.
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Community health center 12.0 miles
Ensley Health Center
4.8(7)?
Review sources
Google6
EasySTD1
Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 7 reviews
A safety-net federally qualified health center about 12 miles from Short Creek. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Alabama Regional Medical Services in Ensley runs rapid and conventional HIV testing alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and herpes testing, with same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs confirmed on-site. Fees follow a sliding scale open to all, and Medicaid and private insurance are accepted. Walk-ins welcome.
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Herpes Testing Sits Inside the Standard Panel
Herpes testing rarely appears on the default menu at STI clinics: it typically requires a separate request, a separate visit, or gets omitted entirely. At Alabama Regional Medical Services, herpes is included alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, so one visit covers the full picture without negotiating for an add-on.
PrEP Prescribed and Managed Here Directly
PrEP at Alabama Regional Medical Services means the clinic handles the prescription and the ongoing monitoring, the periodic HIV testing and check-ins that keep the regimen clinically sound, rather than routing that management elsewhere. PEP is also available for prevention, handled through the same clinical staff.
Spanish and Interpreter Access Woven Into Clinical Care
Many clinics keep language access at the margins, a posted service to call if needed. Alabama Regional Medical Services offers Spanish directly and interpretation services for other languages as a built-in part of the visit, so the clinical conversation itself (testing, results, treatment) happens in the language the patient brings through the door.
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.
The nearest testing center is about 12 miles away, if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Short Creek, 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 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
Quest Diagnostics
$79 & up
Panel:
8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
Sample:
Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
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
Other CLIA-certified labs near Short Creek, AL
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Jefferson 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.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Short Creek. 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
Clinicians near Short Creek, AL who may help arrange STD testing
Beyond dedicated clinics, 881 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Short Creek. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 184 offer telehealth.
JA
James Abroms, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 3014 Allison Bonnett Memorial Drive, Hueytown
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
Pharmacies near Short Creek, AL
Compare the pharmacies closest to Short Creek, AL. Contact a location directly to confirm pharmacy-counter hours, services, prices, and product availability before visiting.
Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Short Creek, AL.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
PrEP, prevention & online treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Short Creek, 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.
Online treatment
Nurx
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or 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
STDs & HIV in Jefferson County: the local picture
How reported STI rates in Jefferson County, the county that includes Short Creek, compare with Alabama 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.
#14
#14 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 79% of the state
Reported STD rates per 100,000, Jefferson County vs Alabama vs U.S.
Jefferson CountyAlabamaU.S.▲▼ = Jefferson County vs the state average
Infection
Jefferson County
Alabama
United States
Chlamydia
852.95,654 cases▲ 31%
651.1
492.2
Gonorrhea
355.92,359 cases▲ 57%
226.9
179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
44.2293 cases▲ 55%
28.6
15.8
Syphilis (early)
36.2240 cases▲ 77%
20.4
16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
29.6196 cases▲ 21%
24.5
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.
Reported STD rates in Jefferson County over time (per 100,000)
Chlamydia ▼ 7% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
Between 2020 and 2023 in Jefferson County, chlamydia has risen from 759 to 852.9 per 100,000 (12%), gonorrhea has fallen from 463.5 to 355.9 per 100,000 (23%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 14.4 to 44.2 per 100,000 (207%).
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
What shapes testing access in and around Short Creek, AL
Adults uninsured
8%
No routine checkup
19.2%
No transportation
7.6%
Binge drinking
15.6%
Frequent mental distress
16.3%
Depression
24.5%
Below poverty line
12.3%
Primary-care ratio
900 : 1
Jefferson County
Primary-care shortage score 24 / 26
Medically Underserved Area · IMU 51.5
Social Vulnerability Index · 73rd percentile nationally
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 Jefferson County.
Local HIV snapshot
HIV in Jefferson County (2023)
Federal priority area: Alabama 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.
People living with HIV
696 / 100k
New diagnoses (2023)
147cases countywide
On PrEP (coverage)
18.5%
Jefferson County HIV care continuum (2023)
Jefferson County recorded 26.4 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 16.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Jefferson County residents living with HIV, 68.6% are in care · 45.2% 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.
Pregnant or planning to be?Congenital syphilis is the fastest-rising STI: what to test, and when
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 Jefferson County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Compiled and checked by EasySTD's editorial team against CDC and public-health sources. This is educational information, not a substitute for advice from a licensed clinician. Our editorial guidelines →
Short Creek is a small-town community in Jefferson County, Alabama, where the local job market is strong, with unemployment near 2.7%. College degrees are less common, around 15% of adults. With clinics limited, many residents lean on mail-in kits or telehealth, with the local clinic for in-person visits.
Getting there
How residents reach STD testing in Short Creek, AL
Walkability4.51 / 20 · Least walkable
At 4.51/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Short Creek 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 35118 snapshot
Residents
3,131
Median age
39.3
Median income
$63,333
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 35118 area around Short Creek: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Short Creek alone.
Nearby cities & towns
STD testing near Short Creek, AL
Just outside Short Creek? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
STD testing in Short Creek, AL: screening, costs & privacy
Everything to know before you test in Jefferson County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Alabama law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Who should test, and whenCDC screening schedule + each infection's detection window
Who should get tested, and how often
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
When to test: STD detection windows
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Short Creek-area provider.
What each STD test costsMedicare reference prices per lab test, a benchmark before you pay out of pocket
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Short Creek 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.
Confidentiality & consent in AlabamaMinor consent and partner treatment (EPT) under state law, plus how to test privately
Two things that actually depend on Alabama 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).
Can a minor consent on their own?
In Alabama, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Can my partner be treated too? (EPT)
Alabama 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.
Source: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
STD testing FAQs for Short Creek, AL
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
How many places can I test near Short Creek, AL?
There are 7 options within a 30-mile drive.
Can I use Medicaid for testing?
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Where can I get tested for free near Short Creek, AL?
Public health clinics nearby provide free testing.
What's included in a full panel near Short Creek, AL?
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
How common is chlamydia in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County reported ~853 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the Alabama average.
Can someone under 18 get tested in Alabama without a parent?
In Alabama, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Can I get PrEP near Short Creek, AL?
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
How do I tell a partner I tested positive?
Telling recent partners lets them test and treat; many health departments offer confidential partner-notification help.
How do I prepare for an STD test near Short Creek, AL?
Little prep is needed, bring an ID and insurance if you have it, and note your exposure dates and any symptoms; for a urine test, avoid peeing for about an hour beforehand.
Clinic or at-home test, which is better near Short Creek, AL?
Clinics give immediate care and treatment; home kits win on convenience and discretion. Either works.
