Which of the following is a necessary element for psychotherapist/social worker-patient privilege?

The necessary element for psychotherapist/social worker-patient privilege is that the patient must be seeking treatment. This is fundamental to establishing the privilege because the privilege is designed to encourage open and honest communication between the patient and the therapist. The rationale behind this privilege is to provide a safe space for the patient to discuss sensitive issues without fear that these communications will be disclosed to third parties.

When a patient actively seeks treatment, it indicates a willingness to engage in a therapeutic relationship where confidentiality is paramount. This involvement is what legally grounds the privilege; it is not merely the existence of communication between the patient and therapist, but rather that the communication occurs within the context of seeking professional help.

Other options like awareness of the treatment's confidentiality or documentation of communications, while they may be relevant to the therapeutic process or ethical practices, do not independently establish the privilege. Licensing of the practitioner, however essential for professional conduct, also does not directly relate to the establishment of the privilege itself, whereas the act of seeking treatment is intrinsic to the relationship that the privilege is meant to protect.