Sexual Health Clinics in Austin: What Services They Offer
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.
Austin has several clinics built specifically around sexual health, not general urgent care. That matters because sexual health clinics tend to offer walk-in testing, confidential visits, and services like PrEP or vaccines that a general clinic may not stock. Travis County recorded a chlamydia rate of 712.6 per 100,000 residents in 2022, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Texas STD Surveillance Report, so testing access is a real local need, not an abstract one.
This guide walks through how to choose a sexual health clinic in Austin, what to bring, and what happens once you're there.
What You'll Need Before You Go
- A general sense of why you're going: routine testing, a specific symptom, a possible exposure, or a prevention service like PrEP.
- Insurance information, if you have it. Several Austin clinics work on a sliding scale or offer free services regardless of insurance status.
- A payment method, in case there is a fee. For example, Austin Public Health's Sexual Health Clinic lists its fee for testing and treatment as $30.
- Time. Some clinics take walk-ins, others schedule by appointment, and wait times vary by day.
- Questions you want answered. Write them down so you don't forget them in the visit.
You do not need a referral from another doctor to visit most of these clinics.
How to Find and Use a Sexual Health Clinic in Austin
- Decide what kind of visit you need. A sexual health clinic in Austin can usually offer several different services under one roof: STI and HIV testing, treatment prescribed by a clinician, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV prevention, and vaccines like HPV or hepatitis B. Knowing what you're there for helps the front desk route you to the right type of appointment.
- Match your need to a clinic that offers it. Not every clinic offers every service. The Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic at the RBJ Health Center (15 Waller Street) tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia as standard, and can test for genital herpes only if you currently have symptoms. Kind Clinic's Koenig Lane location in Austin offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, and hepatitis C. CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth Program at the Hancock Health Center offers STI and HIV testing along with doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) and sexual health vaccines. Vivent Health's Austin location offers free HIV testing, rapid HIV testing, and hepatitis C testing. If you're a University of Texas at Austin student, University Health Services runs a drop-in STI testing clinic for people without symptoms.
- Check the cost before you book. Costs vary by clinic and by what's being tested. Austin Public Health's clinic states a $30 fee for testing and treatment. ASHwell Sexual Health + Wellness describes its services as always free, though related medication could carry a cost. CommUnityCare uses a sliding fee scale set after meeting with a financial eligibility specialist. If a clinic's page doesn't list a price for the specific service you want, call and ask before your visit. For a broader breakdown of what testing can cost around the city, see our guide to STD testing costs in Austin.
- Call ahead or check walk-in hours. Some Austin clinics take walk-ins; others require an appointment. Kind Clinic's Koenig Lane location offers walk-in testing, but its South Austin location does not offer walk-in STI testing and focuses on PrEP and PEP. ASHwell does not currently accept walk-ins and asks that you call its office first. Austin Public Health lets you schedule online or by phone at 512-972-5430. If you want to compare several options at once, our list of Austin testing clinics lays out locations side by side.
- Go to your visit and expect a short intake. Staff will typically ask about your symptoms, if any, and your recent sexual history, so they can decide which tests make sense. This conversation is part of routine care, not a judgment of you. Based on the CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines, a clinician decides which specimens to collect, which can include blood, urine, or swabs depending on the test.
- Ask how and when you'll get results. Turnaround time depends on the test and the lab the clinic uses. Ask at the visit whether results come by phone, through a patient portal, or require a follow-up appointment.
- Follow up on treatment and partner care if a clinician recommends it. Bacterial STIs and trichomoniasis can be cured with treatment a clinician prescribes. HIV, herpes, and HPV are not cured, but they are treatable or manageable with ongoing care. In Texas, a physician can prescribe medication for a patient's sexual partner without first examining that partner, under a Texas Medical Board rule, which is one way partners can get treated without a separate clinic visit.
A Quick Look at Austin Clinics and What They Offer
| Clinic | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic (RBJ Health Center) | HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia testing; symptomatic herpes testing; treatment | 512-972-5430 |
| CommUnityCare IDEALhealth Program | STI/HIV testing, doxy-PEP, HPV and hepatitis vaccines | 512-978-9015 |
| Kind Clinic, Austin Koenig | Walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, hepatitis C; PrEP, PEP, treatment | 833-937-5463 |
| ASHwell Sexual Health + Wellness | Testing, treatment, PrEP, PEP, by appointment | 512-900-3116 |
| Vivent Health, Austin | Free HIV testing, rapid HIV testing, hepatitis C testing, PrEP | 512-458-2437 |
Hours and offerings can change, so confirm current details directly with the clinic before you go.
Tips for a Smoother Visit
- If you have symptoms, say so clearly at intake. Several clinics, including Austin Public Health's, only test for herpes when symptoms are present.
- If cost is a concern, ask about sliding-scale or free options before assuming you can't afford care. ASHwell and parts of CommUnityCare's program are built around low or no out-of-pocket cost.
- If you want same-day results or a fast visit, ask specifically about walk-in hours, since they're often narrower than general clinic hours.
- If you're interested in prevention rather than testing, ask directly about PrEP, PEP, or doxy-PEP. Not every location offers every prevention service, so confirming ahead saves a trip.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming every clinic tests for every infection. Confirm the specific panel offered, especially for herpes, which many clinics only test for symptomatically.
- Skipping the call-ahead step for clinics that require appointments. Showing up unannounced at a non-walk-in clinic like ASHwell can mean a wasted trip.
- Waiting to ask about cost until checkout. Ask up front so there are no surprises.
- Assuming a teenager needs a parent present. Under Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003, a minor of any age can consent to their own testing and treatment for a reportable infectious disease, which covers STIs and HIV, without parental consent. That said, the same statute allows, but does not require, a physician to inform a parent or guardian about the care.
What You Can Expect
A visit to a sexual health clinic in Austin can typically give you a clearer picture of your sexual health and point you toward testing, treatment, or prevention options suited to your situation. Results and next steps depend on the individual, the tests performed, and the clinic's own turnaround times, so outcomes may vary and a clinician is the appropriate source for interpreting any specific result.