Free Programs

The Rockford Asthma Consortium (RAC) was formed in 2000 under the Rockford Regional Health Council. Our mission is , “to reduce morbidity and mortality and enhance the quality of life for people with asthma living in Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Carroll counties.”

Programs offered by The Rockford Asthma Consortium (RAC) are FREE and are taught by asthma content experts including allergists, respiratory therapists, allied health professional and individuals with asthma. Our programs are learner centered so that all participants will enjoy themselves and learn about asthma. Funding from the Illinois Department of Public Health is supporting these efforts. If you are interested in any of these programs or would like us to tailor a program specifically to your needs, contact Stuart Tousman of the Rockford Regional Health Council at 815-226-4172 or Stousman@aol.com

The RAC has partnered up with the Girl Scouts of American to run a patch program for the whole troop. Asthma experts from the RAC will come in and do asthma activities for the whole troop and participants are then eligible to receive an asthma patch.

Do individuals working in your organization need to know more about allergies and asthma? If the answer is “yes” then members of the RAC will come and teach your group on site about both allergies and asthma. We can tailor the length of the program to suit the needs of your organization.

Are you an adult (18 or older) affected by asthma? Do you seek a greater understanding about the medications you take? Do you want to be more engaged in improving your asthma and your overall health?

If so, you may want to participate in a nationally recognized asthma self-management program developed by Stuart Tousman, Ph.D. of Rockford College. In this 8 week program offered for the last five years, small groups meet and gain valuable knowledge and make behavioral changes to improve their asthma self-management.

Every May (National Asthma Awareness Month) the Rockford Asthma Consortium hosts Asthma Update, which is our free patient and community conference at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford. Allergists, pulmonologists, and allied health professionals volunteer their time to teach about asthma management.

Does asthma affect your teenager? If so, the Power Breathing Program developed by the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America may be your answer. This three week program is run for teens and helps them improve their ability to manage their asthma.

The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford offers a chronic disease self-management program that is available to adults with asthma. Contact the Department of Internal Medicine at 1-866-697-5236 for information.

Other programs offered in conjunction with the American Lung Association Programs:

This program empowers children with asthma (8-11 years old) to manage their disease and has been shown to reduce the number of asthma attacks and improve academic performance. The program involves 6 weekly sessions and is frequently coordinated by a school system.

This one hour slide presentation is taught by asthma experts and teaches the basics of asthma management.