ARNO Beloved friend, mentor, and humanitarian, Dr. Arno Safier passed away in San Diego, CA on March 8, 2012. He was born April 6, 1931 in Brooklyn, NY, attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, and served in the Army from 1953 to 1955. He received an M.A. from Columbia University, a Ph.D. from New York University, and was awarded his Certification in Psychotherapy from the Alfred Adler Institute of New York. Arno's career in mental health began in 1967 at the State University of New York, where he was Director of Counseling. In 1976, he was appointed the Chief of Mental Health Services at Riker's Island while he continued his private practice. In 1987, he moved to Albuquerque, where he served as Director of the Family Court Clinic of the 2nd Judicial Court. In 1996, he retired to San Diego. In the late 1980's, Arno helped found and served as President of the Duke City Business and Professional Association which helped both the GLBT business and overall GLBT communities become a more significant part of Albuquerque. The organization lasted more than 15 years and was the predecessor of the current Albuquerque GLBT Chamber of Commerce. Arno also facilitated a long-standing gay men's support group at the Common Bond Community Center. Arno was a man of many interests. As a youth, he was a champion figure skater; as an adult, he became a master bridge player. As a member of the American Psychological Association, he was an articulate voice in the movement to remove homosexuality from the mental disorder category of the A.P.A. charter. He is survived by a nephew, two nieces, and by the many who received the gift of his friendship throughout the years.
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