Fran Owens honored for work at Survivor Recovery Center

Now more than ever, social workers are being called to turn compassion into action—helping communities navigate the challenges of mental health, substance use and economic hardship.

In alignment with the 2025 National Professional Social Work Month theme, “Social Work: Compassion + Action,” the National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter (NASW-IL) is proud to recognize an outstanding Illinois social worker whose leadership and dedication exemplify the values of the profession.

Fran Owens is the recipient of the 2025 NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide Social Worker of the Year Award. Owens, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MSW, 2018), brings more than a decade of experience in mental health to her practice. She currently serves as a clinician at SIU School of Medicine’s Survivor Recovery Center, where she supports individuals who have experienced recent crime-based trauma. Owens helps survivors reduce or eliminate PTSD symptoms and rebuild their lives though compassionate, evidence-based care.

In support of her nomination of Owens, colleague Sicely Kluge, instructor at the SIU Survivor Recovery Center, wrote: “Fran’s dedication and unwavering commitment to her community has created an increase for evidence-based treatment for these individuals, improvements in their health care, advocacy for improvements in housing efforts, and ultimately increasing the need for anti-oppressive work and promoting minority mental health.”

The NASW-Illinois Chapter celebrates Owens and all of this year’s honorees whose leadership, compassion, and advocacy strengthen the social work profession and the communities they serve.

Owens is one of two statewide awardees recognized by the chapter this year. To learn more, visit https://www.naswil.org/chapter-awards.

Owens will be officially honored at the NASW board meeting and reception on Nov. 14 in Oak Lawn.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. The NASW-Illinois Chapter is one of the association's largest chapters and advocates for more than 20,000 social workers in Illinois alone. NASW strives to advance social work careers, grow social work businesses, and protect the profession while seeking to also enhance the well-being of individuals, families and communities through advocacy.