Syphilis cases in Jim Wells County run 51% lower than the US average. If you're in South La Paloma, Texas, for a one-time concern or regular check-ups, weigh your options: community clinics often have low costs or free testing, while private labs tend to offer faster results and more flexible scheduling. Below, you'll find the choices in South La Paloma, Texas.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for South La Paloma, TX. The nearest, Quest Diagnostics, is about 9.7 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.
Womens and Mens Health Services of the Coastal Bend, in Alice, runs on a sliding scale with Medicaid and most insurance accepted, covering gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, herpes, and rapid HIV. No appointment required, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections.
Walk-in STI clinics routinely test for the core four and stop there, leaving herpes unconfirmed and patients guessing. Womens and Mens Health Services of the Coastal Bend adds herpes to its standard panel, so a single visit produces a fuller picture rather than a partial answer.
When Spanish is someone's primary language and a clinic can't provide it directly, the result is a second visit, delayed results, or a treatment plan that never fully landed. At Womens and Mens Health Services of the Coastal Bend in Alice, Spanish-language care is built into the visit: counseling, results, and follow-through happen in Spanish from the start.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
ASAS Health in Alice accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and most insurance, with a sliding scale and donations welcomed for those paying out of pocket: the full panel covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB, with STI treatment and HPV and hepatitis vaccines on site. Appointments are required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community Action Corporation of South Texas in Alice schedules appointments rather than running a drop-in line, and that structure supports a visit covering gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, HIV, and TB, with same-visit bacterial treatment, HPV and hepatitis vaccines, and sliding-scale fees for everyone.
Community Action Corporation of South Texas runs herpes testing as part of its regular panel, meaningful for anyone without a primary care provider who needs that result in the same visit rather than a separate referral chain. Cash-pay patients benefit especially, since sliding-scale fees apply to the full panel, not just the four most common infections.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
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 10 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to South La Paloma, 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & 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 Jim Wells 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.
2500 East Main Street, Alice, TX 78332
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
305 East 3rd, Alice, TX 78332
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near South La Paloma. 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, 55 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of South La Paloma. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 13 offer telehealth.
Gabriel Tarango, DO
Family medicine · 101 South Eugenia Street, Orange Grove
Alejandro Lopez, MD
Family medicine · 201 Mariposa, Alice
Sergio Cantu, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 779 North Texas Boulevard, Alice
Jared Mitchell, MD
Family medicine · 2500 East Main Street, Alice
Gustavo Villarreal, MD
Family medicine · 2510 East Main Street, Alice
Martin Boyd, MD
OB-GYN · 700 Flournoy Road, Alice
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 South La Paloma, TX 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.
Fiesta RX
4.7 mi
9.9 mi Elsas Pillbox
11 mi
12 mi 
12 mi Jay's Pharmacy Mathis
16 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to South La Paloma, TX.
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 South La Paloma, 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.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
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
How reported STI rates in Jim Wells County, the county that includes South La Paloma, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~34% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#79 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 69% of the state
| Infection | Jim Wells County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 388 150 cases ▼ 21% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 119 46 cases ▼ 33% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 7.8 3 cases ▼ 48% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 20.7 8 cases ▼ 22% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 33.6 13 cases ▼ 24% | 44.3 | 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 Jim Wells County, chlamydia has fallen from 540 to 388 per 100,000 (28%), gonorrhea has risen from 74.6 to 119 per 100,000 (60%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 7.7 to 7.8 per 100,000 (1%).
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 Jim Wells County.
Local HIV snapshot
Jim Wells County HIV care continuum (2023)
Jim Wells County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Jim Wells County residents living with HIV, 88.6% are in care · 85.7% 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 Jim Wells County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
That practical reality lands differently here given the community's profile. With every household owning their home and no rental turnover cycling people in and out, South La Paloma is a place of long roots, and neighbors tend to know each other's routines. Fewer than one in eight adults is married, households run larger than the state average, and fewer than four in ten residents participate in the labor force, so many people are managing domestic responsibilities rather than conventional work hours. None of that makes testing less urgent; it shapes when and how people can realistically go.
Young adults in their late teens and twenties make up a substantial share of the population, and for them, straightforward access to screening at a convenient hour matters as much as knowing the option exists. With no households clearing six figures and zero rental income buffering costs, out-of-pocket fees are a genuine consideration. Reviewing the clinic cards on this page for sliding-scale or no-cost appointments before making the trip down South Reynolds Street is the most concrete first step for most households here.
Getting there
At 6.58/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in South La Paloma 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 78372 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 78372 area around South La Paloma: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not South La Paloma alone.
South La Paloma sits in Jim Wells County, ZIP 78372. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside South La Paloma? 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 Jim Wells County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Texas 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 South La Paloma-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 South La Paloma 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 Texas 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 Texas, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Texas 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 TexasSource: 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+.
Public health clinics nearby provide free testing.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Jim Wells County reported ~388 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Texas average.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
No real difference for testing, "STI" is just the current term for what used to be called "STD."
A blood draw screens for syphilis, with a confirmatory test if it's reactive.
Many STIs are fully cured with antibiotics; others, like HIV and herpes, are well managed with treatment.
Use condoms, test regularly, get the HPV and hep B vaccines, and ask about PrEP for HIV.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.