ACES partners with caregivers during home-based ABA therapy through coaching and collaboration, helping families use strategies consistently and confidently across daily routines. We are your partner and biggest advocate. 

No, online autism tests are not diagnostic and cannot confirm autism, but they can be a helpful first step in confirming if a screening is needed. Please contact your pediatrician if you have any concerns, and they can help you get the process started by referring your child for a legitimate in-person evaluation by licensed clinicians using standardized tools and clinical judgment.

ABA therapy, or applied behavior analysis, is an evidence-based approach that helps children develop communication, social, and daily-living skills. It focuses on understanding how learning happens and using positive, supportive strategies to encourage meaningful growth.

Home-based ABA therapy from ACES brings individualized services into your child’s natural environment—your home and community. It focuses on real-life routines and skills while supporting family involvement and practice across everyday settings. Each child and family has different goals and unique personal priorities. We can assist in teaching daily living routines such as brushing teeth, communication skills like expressing needs, strengthening emotional regulation, and social skills with family members. We work with families to find what goals are most important to them and develop personalized, actionable plans for each child we serve based on their needs.

Home-based ABA takes place in familiar settings, such as your home or neighborhood, focusing on routines and real-life challenges, while center-based ABA occurs in an educational setting with structured activities and peer engagement. Each setting supports different aspects of skill development.

ACES at School provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) services in school settings to support students’ academic, social, and behavioral success. Services are designed to complement classroom instruction while respecting each child’s learning style and needs.

Parent and family training teaches caregivers practical ABA strategies to support their child’s development during everyday routines. It helps extend learning beyond therapy sessions.

Autism affects every individual differently. People with autism may experience challenges related to social skills, communication skills, and repetitive behavior/restricted interest. That said, everybody’s experience is unique. If you’re looking for “autism therapy near me,” ACES creates a 100% customized treatment program for each and every client.

Autism affects every individual differently. People with autism may experience challenges related to social skills, communication skills, and repetitive behavior/restricted interest. That said, everybody’s experience is unique. If you’re looking for “autism therapy near me,” ACES creates a 100% customized treatment program for each and every client.

Autism diagnosis rates have increased largely due to better awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and improved screening. While misdiagnosis can occur, comprehensive evaluations by trained specialists help ensure accuracy. The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were last fully updated in 2022. While updates are made annually (the next anticipated in September 2025), keeping the manual current with fast-moving science and the latest research is a priority, and the diagnostic field continues to develop even more accurate screening measures.

Signs of autism are developmental differences in communication, social interaction, behavior, and sensory processing that appear over time and vary from person to person.

If your child needs support with communication, social interaction, daily living skills, or challenging behaviors - and you’re looking for a therapy that’s personalized, data-driven, and compassionate - ABA may be a good fit. The best next step is a comprehensive assessment and an open conversation about your child’s needs and your family’s goals.

“Applied” means the skills taught are useful in everyday life. ABA focuses on real-world outcomes like communication, independence, and social interaction, not abstract or test-based learning.

Center-based ABA therapy at ACES is delivered by trained Registered Behavior Technicians and overseen by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) who design, monitor, and adjust individualized treatment plans.

ACES home-based ABA therapy is delivered by trained behavior technicians working under the supervision of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). They tailor programming based on your child’s strengths, goals, and daily routines. Our team ensures respectful, fun, and impactful interactions that help your child grow and meet their goals.

ACES clinicians collaborate closely with teachers, administrators, and school teams. This partnership helps align strategies, reinforce learning goals, and support consistency across the school day.

Family training is designed for parents, caregivers, and other family members involved in a child’s daily life.

You may have uncertainty and anxiety wondering whether your child has autism. Autism is a spectrum that affects everybody differently. Here are some of the signs that a child may exhibit:

• Delayed speech and language development
• Lack of eye contact
• Difficulty navigating social interactions
• Repetitive behaviors
• Repetitive movements
• Adherence to routines
• Lack of response to their name
• Overstimulation to lights or noises

Autism screening is a brief process used to identify whether a child may show signs of autism and should receive further evaluation. An autism diagnosis is a comprehensive clinical assessment conducted by a qualified professional that officially determines whether a child meets diagnostic criteria for autism.

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Yes. Autism signs can change as a child grows. Early signs may involve communication or sensory differences, while later signs often relate to social skills, flexibility, and daily functioning.

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Yes. ABA therapy is one of the most researched and well-supported therapies for autism. Decades of studies show it can improve communication, social skills, adaptive behavior, and quality of life when delivered thoughtfully and ethically.

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Most insurance companies provide some level of ABA coverage with a valid diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. ACES is in network with over 100 plans and we will verify your benefits on your behalf.

ABA is flexible enough to address each individual’s unique needs. The areas that many ACES clients work on are:

• Communication skills: Expressing needs, expressing likes and dislikes, pointing, conversation skills, asking and answering questions.
• Social skills: Taking turns, playing games, joining in play with peers, understanding social cues, understanding gestures.
• Daily living skills: Daily routines, toilet training, dressing, brushing teeth, hair care, personal hygiene.
• Community skills: Street safety, staying with caregivers, interacting with others in the community.
• Behavioral skills: Replacement behaviors to decrease or eliminate maladaptive behaviors such as tantruming, hitting, eloping, and self-injury.

We specialize in early intervention ABA services and services that grow with your child’s needs. The ACES center-based services support children with autism and related developmental needs across a range of ages, with programming that is tailored to each child’s developmental level and goals. If you have questions about which services are best suited for your child, please feel free to contact us. We’re here to help.

Home-based ABA at ACES can help children learn daily living skills, communication, flexibility with routines, social interaction, and behavior support in real-world settings such as home, family gatherings, and community spaces.

ACES at School may support communication, social interaction, classroom behavior, emotional regulation, and independence. Goals are selected to help students participate meaningfully in learning and school routines.

When caregivers feel confident using strategies independently, children experience more consistent learning and stronger outcomes over time.

If you suspect that your child may be on the autism spectrum, ACES ABA Austin is here to help every step of the way. You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Our team can guide you through the process and offer expert assistance.

You may have uncertainty and anxiety wondering whether your child has autism. Autism is a spectrum that affects everybody differently. Here are some of the signs that a child may exhibit:

• Delayed speech and language development
• Lack of eye contact
• Difficulty navigating social interactions
• Repetitive behaviors
• Repetitive movements
• Adherence to routines
• Lack of response to their name
• Overstimulation to lights or noises

Children can be evaluated for autism as early as 18 months. While formal diagnoses often occur between ages 2 and 4, evaluations can be completed at any age if developmental differences or challenges are present.

Early signs in babies may include limited eye contact, reduced social smiling, minimal babbling, little response to sounds or faces, and differences in sensory reactions. These signs are not diagnostic on their own.

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Some signs can appear in infancy, but many become clearer as language, play, and social expectations develop. Others may not be obvious until preschool or school age.

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ABA therapists (also called behavior technicians) work directly with children to practice skills through play, daily routines, and real-life situations. They are supervised by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), who design programs, analyze progress, and adjust strategies to ensure therapy remains effective and meaningful.

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At an ACES learning center, children have built-in opportunities to practice social interactions with peers through supervised activities that support shared play, communication, turn-taking, and social problem-solving.

Yes. ACES at School services often align with a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. Clinicians work collaboratively with school teams to support progress within the educational framework.

ABA is a behavior therapy that develops positive behaviors and reduces excess ones. Customized for every individual and their goals, ABA generally focuses on improving communication skills, social skills, and success in daily routines.

PRT is a method of applying applied behavior analysis. It builds on clients’ motivation and interests, and is particularly effective for developing communication, language, play, and social skills.

DTT is a structured technique within applied behavior analysis that breaks down skills into small (that is, “discrete”) components. In this way, we can teach clients each skill one by one.

SST is a structured method whereby we help clients understand and improve various social skills. It can be worked on either individually or in a group setting and is often used as one component of a broader care program.

A powerful therapy for those with limited communication skills, PECS is an approach that allows clients to communicate a wide variety of requests, thoughts, and feelings through images.

Visual strategies include visual schedules, choice boards, tools to give information, and tools to manage behavior. Through this approach, we can significantly impact a client’s ability to participate in school and at home successfully.

Autism can be diagnosed by licensed professionals with specialized training, including developmental pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and some pediatricians experienced in autism evaluation.

Yes. Many children show individual signs at times without being diagnosed with autism. Clinicians look for consistent patterns across developmental areas over time. There are also overlapping similarities with other neurodivergences, such as ADHD or anxiety, that can result in some similar signs. 

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The length of ABA therapy varies depending on a child’s goals, progress, and changing needs over time. Some children participate for a few months, while others benefit from longer-term support. Progress is reviewed regularly, and therapy evolves as skills grow. Using all the hours prescribed leads to the best outcomes.

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Through ABA, through comprehensive assessments, we identify strengths and opportunities for growth and create target goals. We track progress and determine program effectiveness and use personalized positive reinforcement to encourage targeted behaviors.

Some tools to help ABA work well are:

• Environmental arrangement encourages independence and aids in learning skills.
• Prompting and fading, an integral part of ABA therapy, helps clients learn new behaviors. Once the new behavior becomes more habitual, the prompt is reduced, or faded.
• Caregiver collaboration gives parents the tools they need to support their child’s care plan.

Center-based ABA occurs in a dedicated clinic environment with structured routines and access to sensory and learning materials, while home-based ABA occurs in a child’s daily environment and supports family-specific routines. Both are individualized, but the learning context differs.

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Yes, we can support both in-home and community-based support, allowing skills learned in therapy to be practiced in environments that matter most to your child and family.

Services are delivered by trained behavior technicians under the supervision of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). The BCBA oversees assessment, goal development, and ongoing progress monitoring.

Common diagnostic tools include the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised (ADI-R), and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Providers may also use cognitive, language, and adaptive behavior assessments.

In toddlers, signs may include delayed speech, limited gestures, repetitive play, distress with changes in routine, sensory sensitivities, and reduced interest in sharing experiences with others.

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ABA therapy can be effective at many ages, but early intervention often leads to the strongest outcomes because young brains are exceptionally adaptable. That said, it’s never “too late” to benefit from ABA. Programs are designed based on a child’s developmental needs—not just their age.

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No. ABA therapy is highly individualized and tailored to each child’s strengths, goals, and learning style. Treatment plans are adjusted over time based on progress and changing needs.

Home-based ABA therapy helps children build skills within the context of everyday routines, such as mealtimes, dressing, transitions, community outings, and family activities, making skill use more practical and sustainable.

ACES at School services may take place in the classroom, during transitions, or in other school environments, depending on the student’s needs. Support is designed to fit naturally into the school day whenever possible.

ABA is flexible enough to address each individual’s unique needs. The areas that many ACES clients work on are:

• Communication: Expressing needs, expressing likes and dislikes, pointing, conversation skills, asking and answering questions.
• Social skills: Taking turns, playing games, joining in play with peers, understanding social cues, understanding gestures.
• Daily living skills: Daily routines, toilet training, dressing, brushing teeth, hair care, personal hygiene.
• Community skills: Street safety, staying with caregivers, interacting with others in the community.
• Behavioral skills: Replacement behaviors to decrease or eliminate maladaptive behaviors such as tantruming, hitting, eloping, and self-injury.

The autism diagnosis process may take several weeks to a few months. It often involves multiple appointments, interviews, observations, and testing sessions before results are finalized.

School-aged children may struggle with social rules, group work, transitions, and flexible thinking. Some show strong skills in specific areas alongside challenges with organization or social interaction.

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No. Quality ABA therapy does not aim to erase a child’s personality, interests, or identity. At ACES, we focus on building skills that increase independence, communication, safety, and self-advocacy—while honoring each child for who they are. Differences are respected and celebrated.

Quality ABA therapy should feel safe, engaging, and supportive. Sessions are designed to build trust and encourage participation, not force compliance. All interactions with ACES are fun and effective.

Center-based ABA at ACES includes collaboration with families through sharing progress, coaching on strategies, and guidance to help carry goals into their home and community. Here, you’ll work with your child to develop skills to better understand and support their goals, and to grow in and out of the center. 

ACES home-based ABA therapy includes ongoing data collection and progress monitoring to adjust goals and strategies as your child develops new skills. Progress is shared with families to encourage collaboration and consistency. Your child’s treatment plans adjust over time based on progress and family feedback.

ACES at School focuses on helping students participate in classroom activities alongside peers. Strategies are designed to support inclusion, independence, and positive peer interactions within the school environment.

During onboarding, ACES will conduct an initial assessment and recommend a treatment plan for you to review. The plan will include recommendations on hours per week, setting, and goals. Each plan is unique but the typical range for new clients with goals in all or most services are 20-40 hours per week.

A positive autism screening does not equal a diagnosis. Screenings indicate whether further evaluation is recommended, but only a comprehensive diagnostic assessment can confirm a diagnosis of autism.

Yes. Some children speak early, do well academically, or mask differences, which can delay recognition until social or academic demands increase later.

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Modern ABA therapy is both. At ACES, ABA is play-based, child-led, and thoughtfully structured. Children learn through games, movement, routines, and everyday activities—while clinicians intentionally guide learning using evidence-based strategies. It should feel engaging and natural, not rigid or forced.

ABA is a behavior therapy that develops positive behaviors. Customized for every individual and their goals, ABA generally focuses on improving communication skills, social skills, and success in daily routines.

PRT is a method of applying applied behavior analysis. It builds on clients’ motivation and interests, and is particularly effective for developing communication, language, play, and social skills.

DTT is a structured technique within applied behavior analysis that breaks down skills into small (that is, “discrete”) components. In this way, we can teach clients each skill one by one.

SST is a structured method whereby we help clients understand and improve various social skills. It can be worked on either individually or in a group setting and is often used as one component of a broader care program.

A powerful therapy for those with limited communication skills, PECS is an approach that allows clients to communicate a wide variety of requests, thoughts, and feelings through images.

Visual strategies include visual schedules, choice boards, tools to give information, and tools to manage behavior. Through this approach, we can significantly impact a client’s ability to participate in school and at home successfully. We use a variety of proven methodologies to obtain positive results for your child. If you are searching for “best ABA therapy near me,” look no further than ACES.

We are a CARF®-accredited service provider, meaning you can rest assured that you are working with an organization that genuinely cares and is committed to providing a quality therapy experience. We are an Aetna Institute of Quality® Provider of autism services, which means we are committed to providing only the highest standard of autism care. For autism therapy to be effective, it must be rooted in research-based interventions, customized approaches to programming, and continuous evaluations. Everything we do at ACES Learning Center is backed by a scientific approach coupled with care and empathy.

Yes. Your child’s plan can include approaches across multiple settings, as each has different benefits. 

Yes. Services are adjusted according to a student’s needs, goals, and changes in school as demands change. The care team regularly reviews progress to ensure support remains appropriate and effective.

Every child’s treatment plan is unique, so the cost of ABA therapy can vary. The good news is that most insurance plans provide coverage for ABA therapy with an autism diagnosis. Before services begin, ACES will verify your insurance benefits and explain any out-of-pocket costs, so you know exactly what to expect.

Autism diagnoses are based on criteria from the DSM-5. A child must show persistent differences in social communication and interaction, along with restricted or repetitive behaviors, with symptoms present from early development.

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ABA therapy is most commonly used to support children on the autism spectrum, but it can also help individuals with other developmental or behavioral challenges. That said, ABA programs are always tailored to the child—not the diagnosis—and focus on each child’s unique strengths, needs, and personalized goals.

Caregivers are kept informed through collaboration and communication with the ACES team. This helps ensure strategies used at school are reinforced at home and across other settings.

A comprehensive evaluation provides a clear diagnosis, identifies a child’s unique strengths and challenges, and is often required for insurance coverage of services such as ABA therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

ABA therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis) is a science-based, play-centered approach that helps children build meaningful communication, social, and independence skills. At its heart, ABA is about helping children thrive in everyday life, in ways that feel respectful, encouraging, and supportive.

Progress is monitored using data collected during school-based sessions. This information helps guide decisions, adjust strategies, and support meaningful outcomes for students.

After diagnosis, families receive a detailed report and recommendations for supportive services. These may include behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and educational support tailored to the child’s needs.

In many cases, insurance coverage for services like ABA therapy requires a formal autism diagnosis before care can begin. Coverage details vary by plan and location. If you have questions about starting with ACES and your coverage, please contact us.

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ACES provides evidence-based ABA therapy and coordinated care for clients ages 0-6 with autism through our Early Learners program, helping families turn early support into meaningful, long-term progress. We offer a variety of early intervention programs, including Infant Stimulation, PALs, Buddies, and the ACES Learning Center (ALC) for early learners ages 0-6. Each program offers a center-based learning environment that allows clients to generalize to new therapy stimuli, people, and environments.

Early intervention helps caregivers understand their child’s differences, learn supportive strategies, and feel more confident navigating care, education, and daily routines.

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While early childhood is a key developmental window, supportive care can be beneficial at any age. Early intervention simply means starting support as early as possible.

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Yes. Early intervention often focuses on communication, social interaction, and adaptive skills, helping children express themselves and engage more meaningfully with others.

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Early intervention may include ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and caregiver education, depending on a child’s individual strengths and needs.

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No. Early intervention does not change or remove an autism diagnosis. It helps children build skills, adapt to their environment, and better navigate differences as they grow.

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Early intervention can begin as soon as developmental differences are identified, often between 18 months and 3 years of age, but support can be helpful at any stage of childhood.

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Early intervention matters because young children’s brains are especially flexible. Support provided early can help children develop skills, reduce challenges over time, and improve long-term outcomes.

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Early intervention refers to supportive services provided during early childhood to help children diagnosed with autism build communication, social, and daily living skills during critical developmental stages.

If developmental differences are persistent or affect daily life, learning, or relationships, it’s appropriate to discuss concerns with a pediatrician or qualified clinician at any age.

Yes. Autism is lifelong. Signs in teens and adults may include social fatigue, sensory sensitivities, strong routines, intense interests, and challenges with planning or transitions. These signs can be managed through skills and through advocating for needs to set up life for success.

To access your account, log into CentralReach login with your standard username and password that you would have used for Ally. (If you have never logged in, use the First Time User Link available at login page)

Upon attempt to login to CentralReach Client Portal you should now encounter a dual login option to select which organization you would like to view. Ally Pediatric will be your historical reference for service dates before 4/1/26, whereas ACES 2020 LLC will be your going forward reference for service dates of 4/1/26 and onward.

If you don't see two tiles and should, it's likely there's not a perfect match of name, date of birth, and email between the two accounts. Contact Client Onboarding for support.

Note: Ally CentralReach will have Client Files, however ACES CentralReach will not house your client files. Please reach out to Records@acesaba.com to request clinical documentation. The ACES Client Connect Portal will house ACES policy documentation and profile information.

When logging in to the CentralReach Client Portal with SSO for the first time:

1. Navigate to login.centralreach.com.
2. Click First Time User?
3. Select CentralReach.
4. Enter your email address in the “Email Address" field and select the reCAPTCHA checkbox, then select Send Link.  
   • If the user exists within CentralReach, they will receive a "Set up your CentralReach Account" email. An email is not sent if the user does not exist within CentralReach.
5. Select Confirm Access & Set Up Password in the email to navigate to the “Set Password” screen.
6. When the password meets CentralReach’s requirements and is accepted, the page reloads and displays a hyperlinked “click here to continue” message that redirects users to the login screen.
7. Upon returning to the login screen, log in with your email address and password. Users will be directed to the CentralReach Client Portal.

If you have logged into CentralReach previously and you do not remember your password, follow steps below:

1. Navigate to login.centralreach.com.
2. Enter your email address in the “Email Address" field and click Next‍
3. Click Reset Password‍
4. If that email is found, you will receive a “Set Password” email from CentralReach. Follow steps to reset password and reattempt login when complete.

Email addresses were migrated from Ally CentralReach to ACES CentralReach. Use the same email you had previously provided to Ally.

1. Select the way you would like to sign-in, either using your registered email or mobile phone number that can receive SMS text messages.
   • If you selected an email domain option, you will be taken to a login page for the email account associated with your domain account. Please login using your domain credentials.
     • Important: if you are logged into more than one domain account (e.g. multiple Microsoft accounts), please log out of all accounts and then log back in to the account associated with the email address you provided at registration.
   • If you selected “Sign in with Phone Number”, please input your phone number and click “Continue”
     • Select either “Send Code” or “Call Me” and you will receive a security code at the phone number you provided
     • Input the code and then select “Verify Code”
2. If login is successful, you will be redirected to your ACES Account Portal

Each code is temporary and helps keep your information secure.

Yes, please call the school if you would like to set up a time to tour our school. (619) 964-6321

Each student follows an individualized daily schedule based on their IEP goals and our functional skills curriculum.

Unfortunately, we do not have open enrollment. We only accept students with referrals from school districts within San Diego County. We do not accept private pay at this time.

A non-public school is a privately operated school, publicly funded by school districts to support students whose needs cannot currently be met within a traditional public school setting. Students are referred through their IEP teams and come to us from school districts throughout San Diego County.

We serve students who have severe communication, learning, social, and behavioral deficits. We primary provide individualized instruction and individualized schedules to accommodate our students’ needs, with limited group instruction. The IEP team will determine if a non-public school placement is appropriate for your child. If the IEP team decides that ACES Academy might be a good fit, the school district will send us a referral. Our program places a high emphasis on functional communication/self-advocacy, independent living skills, vocational skills and functional academics.

If you're having trouble signing in with the email or phone number you used during registration, please contact our client onboarding team.

‍Phone: (855) 223-7123

‍Hours of Operation:

• Monday – Friday, 7 AM – 6 PM PST
• Saturday, 7 AM – 3 PM PST

We’ll quickly help you access your portal.

Verification codes expire after a short time and can only be used once.

Click “Send Code” or “Call Me” again and enter the newest code you receive.

This most commonly occurs because you are trying to sign in with an email or mobile phone number that was different from the email or phone number you provided to ACES when you first signed up for or inquired about services.

Please try signing in again with the mobile phone number or email you previously provided to ACES. If you still cannot sign in, please call our Client Onboarding Team at (855)-223-7123 for assistance.

Please make sure you are using the same email address or mobile phone number you provided when you registered.

If you're unsure which one you used, or if your contact information needs to be updated, our onboarding team can help. Please call (855) 223-7123, Monday–Friday, 7am–6pm PST

If your email provider isn’t supported, please sign in using your mobile phone number instead.

Your phone number must be the same one you used during registration and must be able to receive text messages.