In 2024 Brockton Neighborhood Health Center (BNHC) celebrates its 30th anniversary and its remarkable journey from humble beginnings to cornerstone of community healthcare. To address the desperate health care needs of Brockton’s underserved and low-income residents, the city’s Task Force on Health and Human Services formally announced its recommendation for a community- based health center in March 1991. At that time, more than one-third of the city’s families lived in poverty, and the community was grappling with alarming rates of teen pregnancy, infant mortality, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections. While Brockton was a federally designated Medically Underserved Area, it was the only city in Massachusetts with no community health center, and there were just three full-time physicians to serve its 26,000 residents. Recognizing the urgent need for primary and preventive care, BNHC’s founders were determined to provide accessible healthcare to all and chartered the health center in 1992.
Services began in 1994, initially offered from a mobile medical van, rented from Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center and parked at St. Patrick's Church, while the health center addressed restrictions by the local zoning board and community concerns. Several months later, following a City Council ordinance allowing the center to operate, the BNHC opened a modest site at 157 Main Street. With the support of the community and local officials, the health center opened a new $17 million five-story health center building in 2007, doubling its capacity.
From its unpresuming start serving a few hundred patients, BNHC now provides comprehensive healthcare services to nearly 40,000 people annually, at three state-of-the-art locations in downtown Brockton, including a shelter-based clinic. The health center offers a range of services including women’s’ health and prenatal care, routine primary and preventive medical care including screenings and immunizations, pediatric care, behavioral health, harm reduction, dental and urgent care. BNHC has also returned to its roots by utilizing mobile health services, this time supporting harm reduction services and bringing care directly to patients who may have difficulty traveling to the health center. On-site pharmacy was added in 2023.
An important part of the city’s leading healthcare industry, BNHC’s impact on the community extends beyond healthcare. The health center is a significant employer in the area, providing job opportunities and training for local residents and helping to drive economic development in Brockton. BNHC’s commitment to serving the whole person and addressing the broader social drivers of health has led to innovative partnerships. A medical assistant training program is supported by a grant from the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. The “Hometown Healthcare Academy,” launched with the Cape Verdean Association and Haitian Community partners in 2024, provides training to high school students to prepare them for healthcare careers.
As BNHC celebrates its 30th anniversary, supported by dedicated leadership including long-time CEO Sue Joss and committed and capable staff, it exemplifies the power of community determination and resilience. What began with a vision to meet the basic healthcare needs of Brockton residents has grown into an essential institution that embodies compassion, innovation, and excellence in healthcare and community wellness. Building on its deeply rooted investment in the community. BNHC is poised to continue growing and expanding as it embarks on its fourth decade of serving the greater Brockton area, ensuring that everyone, regardless of income or insurance status, has access to high-quality care.
