In 1967, the federal Children’s Bureau provided funding to the Bromley-Heath Clinic, enabling it to expand its services as a primary health care center with a mission to provide comprehensive prenatal and pediatric care as well as family-based primary care free of charge. The center was founded as a joint project of Children’s Hospital, Boston Hospital for Women and Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. The clinic’s mission focused on improving the health... of the community by identifying public health problems and collaborating with other agencies. At this time, the clinic was renamed and the Martha Eliot Health Center (MEHC) was founded; Children’s became the sole operator in 1973.

Dr. Eliot was a leader in the fields of child health care and public health. From 1957-1960 she was Professor of Maternal and Child Health at Harvard School of Public Health. Eliot received a Lasker Award in 1948, Presented by the American Public Health Association, for her outstanding administration and operation of the Emergency Maternal and Infant Care Program.