Jefferson County reports about 44 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. If you are planning to start a new relationship or as part of ongoing healthcare in Smithson, Alabama, you may want quick results or a convenient process to fit around your schedule. Options range from local clinics to at-home kits, this list compares your choices.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Smithson, AL. The nearest, Cahaba Medical Care, is about 4.9 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.
Cahaba Medical Care in Bessemer tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis C, and TB, treating bacterial infections at the same visit on a sliding-scale fee open to all: appointments required, insurance and Medicaid accepted.
Cahaba Medical Care treats hepatitis C on-site, which means a confirmed diagnosis moves directly into a treatment plan without routing through a separate specialist. For a curable infection where delayed care allows ongoing liver damage, that continuity has a direct effect on outcome.
Without an in-house PrEP prescriber, patients face a second provider search, a gap in coverage, and often months without protection. Cahaba Medical Care in Bessemer prescribes and manages PrEP directly, closing that gap before it opens.
Cahaba Medical Care provides interpretation services for non-English-speaking patients across its full range of care, including STI testing, treatment counseling, and HIV prevention services. That access applies to every clinical conversation, from reviewing test results to discussing ongoing management of hepatitis C or PrEP adherence.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jun 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Aletheia House in Bessemer covers the full bacterial and viral panel (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, rapid and conventional HIV, and hepatitis A, B, and C) with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, on a sliding scale that reaches zero cost for every patient.
Unpaid balances and mid-care cost calculations push people out before treatment is complete. Aletheia House charges nothing (no fee for the test, no fee for the follow-up, no fee for STI treatment) so care doesn't stall between diagnosis and resolution.
Aletheia House carries both PrEP and PEP, and covers PrEP at no cost for uninsured patients. That combination means daily HIV prevention medication (including initiation, monitoring, and continuation) stays within one practice rather than splitting across separate providers.
For someone without a regular provider or specialist access, Aletheia House's standing capacity to treat hepatitis C on-site is the practical difference between a diagnosis that clears and one that lingers. Antiviral treatment happens here, not at a facility to be identified later.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Cahaba Medical Care - Alabaster, in Alabaster, welcomes walk-ins for STI screening without an appointment. As a federally qualified health center, it ties fees to income on a sliding scale, covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia in a single visit.
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 5 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Smithson, 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 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.
5000 Medical West Way, Bessemer, AL 35022
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1179 Greenmor Drive, Bessemer, AL 35022
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
5000 Medical West Way Mob Suite 310, Bessemer, AL 35022
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
5000 Medical West Way, Suite 610, Bessemer, AL 35022
CMS-certified lab
4810 Bell Hill Road, Bessemer, AL 35022
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Smithson. 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, 877 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Smithson. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 185 offer telehealth.
Benjamin Broome, MD
Internal medicine · 4748 Bell Hill Road, Bessemer
Douglas Woodward, MD
Family medicine · 4810 Bell Hill Road, Bessemer
Johnathan Mize, MD
Family medicine · 5000 Medical West Way, Bessemer
Holsey Drake, MD
Internal medicine · 5911 Harris Lane, Bessemer
Katherine Turner
OB-GYN · 5000 Medical West Way, Bessemer
Erin Hall-Minnie, MD
OB-GYN · 5000 Medical West Way, Bessemer
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 Smithson, AL 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.
Hart Apothecary
2.5 mi
2.7 mi 
2.8 mi Mills Pharmacy at McCalla
3.1 miFood World Pharmacy
3.1 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Smithson, AL.
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 Smithson, 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 Jefferson County, the county that includes Smithson, compare with Alabama and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~24% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#14 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 79% of the state
| Infection | Jefferson County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 852.9 5,654 cases ▲ 31% | 651.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 355.9 2,359 cases ▲ 57% | 226.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 44.2 293 cases ▲ 55% | 28.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 36.2 240 cases ▲ 77% | 20.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 29.6 196 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.
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
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
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.
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.
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).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Cahaba Riverwoods Park draws Smithson residents year-round, and the same stability that keeps families rooted here (long mortgages, deep ties to neighborhoods like Loveless Park and Phillips Estates) also means people tend to stay put through health changes they'd rather keep private. Young adults in their late teens through thirties who grew up in these same streets often need STI testing but hesitate when testing means running into someone from high school. Testing in and around Smithson listed on this page includes clinics where staff understand that discretion isn't a courtesy, it's a foundation of care. Homeownership and tenure shape how people approach health decisions in Smithson. A resident who's lived here for decades may prefer a provider outside their immediate circle, or one with a streamlined intake that doesn't require extended conversation.
Others value a local clinic where they can build ongoing trust. Both paths are available. What matters most is that testing happens. The clinics serving Smithson offer the confidentiality and clinical competence that make screening routine rather than fraught, a service that fits into a life already in motion.
Getting there
At 7.01/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Smithson 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 35022 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 35022 area around Smithson: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Smithson alone.
Smithson sits in Jefferson County, ZIP 35022. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Smithson? 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 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.
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 Smithson-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 Smithson 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 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).
In Alabama, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
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.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in AlabamaSource: 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.
The closest is Cahaba Medical Care (4.9 mi); 7 options are within 30 miles.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
Public clinics nearby offer free HIV testing.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 853 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Alabama average.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
In Alabama, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
The HPV vaccine guards against the cancer- and wart-causing types; ask a provider if you're still eligible.
Yes, rapid finger-stick tests are very accurate after the window period; any reactive result is confirmed with a lab test.
Public health clinics, family-planning clinics, and many school or campus health centers test teens and young adults, often free.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.