Is it possible to move from a non-profit job to a county job and back to a non profit?

I'm in the same boat - I was a group home manager for a non-profit with (too much) responsibility. Now I'm looking into county/state/federal employment where my skills can be applied. Of course it's important to be happy, but non-profits work their managers to the bone, and most people can't take the pressure. If you're one of the few that can see yourself carrying the weight on your shoulders for the rest of your career, then YES, go back to non-profit (because people that can handle the stress are hard to come by), BUT consider the following first:

-Non-Profits are very loose in their policies and procedures, leaving a lot of room to make mistakes to get fired.

-If you're any ethnicity but white, you probably won't be promoted to an administrative position at a non-profit. Most of the direct care workers are "straight off the boats" so to say, and people take advantage of the cheap labor. Also, if you're a great manager/supervisor/staff, they'll try to keep you in the same position for as long as humanly possible because, as I stated, good managers are hard to come by.

-Non-profits are not secure companies. they can tank at any time - especially if they're government-funded and their services/facilities are not up to par. In this economy, job security should be a priority.

-Non-profits have pretty crappy benefits. no one can beat benefits offered by the town/county/state/feds.

You're very lucky to have landed a government job, but if you're going back to non-profit I guarantee you won't have any problems finding a job in your field of choice.

Good luck on your journey!