Brookside Community Health Center was originally established as the Brookside Park Family Life Center in 1970, a 'grassroots' program with a grant through the Model Cities Program, which aimed to provide affordable health care for the community. Local residents formed the center's Consumer Policy Board in order to advise the health center. Today, the Board continues to work directly with the health center's Executive Director and staff. The 16-seat board requires that 12 of the seats be filled by consumers who are elected annually by health center clients.
In 1974, the Brookside Community Policy Board signed an affiliation agreement with the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and became part of the Ambulatory and Community Services Department, operating under the hospital's license. The hospital, now the Brigham and Women's Hospital and a founding member of Mass General Brigham System has continued to work closely with the health center's staff and Board to provide high quality services that meet the needs of the community. In 1975, a local manufacturing building was renovated through a federal government program and became what is now known as Brookside Community Health Center. A series of renovations in recent years has continued to allow Brookside to grow to meet the needs of its patient populations.
Despite the increasing changes facing health care and the growing demand for services, Brookside's Board and staff remain committed to our original mission, "to provide high quality, family-oriented, comprehensive health care, with a focus on serving our community regardless of ability to pay."
