The new medical model of special education for children with emotional or behavioral disorders posits that a significant number of children in this category may not only have psychiatric disorders that are treatable with psychopharmacologic medication but that special educators also have a responsibility to screen for such diagnoses when indicated. Gresham (2002) and Oswald (2002) have provided responses to this concept that represent opposite views. These are discussed in relation to (a) the role of psychiatric diagnosis in special education, (b) the relative efficacy of behavioral versus psychopharmacologic treatment, and (c) the nature of interdisciplinary care. Combined behavioral and psychopharmacologic intervention represents best practice in most cases. Resistance to this concept of the new medical model, however, seems to be based on evidence that is less than convincing.
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