HIV testing in South Dakota — where to get tested, free options, what to expect

530 people are living with HIV in South Dakota, and 24% of new diagnoses in 2022 were among Black residents. Getting tested is the first step — the CDC recommends at least one HIV test for every adult 13-64, and annual testing for anyone sexually active with more than one partner or injecting drugs. Rapid tests return results in about 20 minutes from a fingerstick; laboratory tests take a few days but catch infections sooner after exposure (as early as 10 days with a nucleic-acid test).

Where to test for free in South Dakota: every county health department runs an STI / HIV testing clinic, and South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Disease Prevention Services contracts with community-based organizations to operate walk-in rapid testing with evening and Saturday hours. No ID or insurance is required at these sites. Confidentiality is protected — state law requires public-health HIV testing results to stay out of your medical record unless you authorize release, and anonymous testing (no name collected) is available at most community sites.

What to expect: a pre-test conversation about risk and what a positive result would mean, the test itself (either fingerstick or blood draw), and post-test counseling. If the rapid test is reactive, the counselor draws blood for a confirmatory Western blot or antigen/antibody test. If you're positive, you'll be linked to a Ryan White Part C clinic for same-week HIV primary care and ADAP enrollment if you qualify by income.

The South Dakota HIV info line is 1-800-592-1861; staff can point you to the nearest free testing site, schedule PrEP, and help you navigate insurance or no-insurance options. Long-time Black residents name Sanford Health Infectious Disease Clinic (Sioux Falls) and Falls Community Health (Sioux Falls) as the local institutions that show up consistently — both are listed below.

Sanford Health Infectious Disease Clinic (Sioux Falls). Sanford Health's ID Clinic in Sioux Falls is South Dakota's only HIV specialty clinic and Ryan White Part C grantee, covering the entire state through a combination of in-person and telehealth appointments, with a dedicated outreach partnership with the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board.

Falls Community Health (Sioux Falls). Falls Community Health is South Dakota's largest FQHC, operating the only walk-in rapid-HIV-testing program in the state with evening hours, and providing HIV primary care for patients transferring out of the state Department of Corrections system.