The managed behavioral mental health system brought both structure and challenges to social work practice. On one hand, it helped create more standardized services and increased accountability in mental health care. However, it also placed limitations on how much time social workers could spend with clients and often prioritized cost over care. This shift made it harder to provide individualized, holistic support especially for clients with complex needs. As a social worker, it reminds me why advocacy is so important in ensuring systems don't lose sight of people.