The article discusses various approaches to the definition of "mechanism", "mechanism of the social protection system", "mechanism of formation of the social protection management system". The fundamentals of the formation of the social protection management system at the regional level, in particular in the Altai Republic, are revealed. Probable directions of activity are proposed, which together represent a social mechanism for the formation of an effective social protection management system, implying legal, organizational and economic activities. It is noted that the social mechanism of the formation of the social protection management system in the region contributes to its effectiveness only if the contradictions in the interaction between the subject and the object of the social protection management system are taken into account, since this affects the degree of distribution of their powers and responsibilities and, ultimately, determines the nature of the functioning of the entire holistic system management of social protection of the population of the region.