HARRISBURG Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed state budget seeks to undo a controversial community health services policy undertaken by his predecessor.

In last week's budget address, the Democratic governor proposed a $3.8 million, or 22 percent, increase in state funding for the county-based health centers that handle immunizations, screening for contagious diseases and investigations of disease outbreaks. Lawmakers start hearings on the budget this week.This extra money would be spent to reopen closed health centers, including several in northeastern Pennsylvania, and reinstate furloughed workers in line with a state court order last fall. The state Supreme Court ruled the Corbett administration violated a state law when it launched a plan to close a number of centers across the state and establish mobile health teams to deliver those services instead.The state Health Department already has offered to reinstate more than two dozens nurses at regional district offices whose positions had been eliminated under that plan, according to SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania."I am absolutely delighted to be returning to my position of providing public health services at the Northeast District Office after months of uncertainty," said Joanne Namey, a tobacco nurse consultant at the district office in Wilkes-Barre. "If the recent measles and Ebola episodes have taught us anything, it's that a properly funded and fully functioning Department of Health is critical to keeping our communities safe and healthy."Namey was a plaintiff in the successful lawsuit filed by SEIU, nurses and state lawmakers to block former Gov. Tom Corbett's plan.All told, 10 furloughed nurses from the Northeast District were invited back to work, said SEIU spokeswoman Amelia Abromaitis. Of that group, four plan to return, four found jobs at other state health centers and two retired.Sixteen closed health centers will reopen, according to SEIU.In northeastern Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna County center was merged with the Bradford County Center, the Pike County Center with the Monroe County Center and the Carbon County center with the Lehigh County Center.Health Secretary designate Dr. Karen Murphy, a former CEO of Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, is scheduled to discuss budget issues March 17 before the House Appropriations Committee.The department's proposed budget also includes:• $1.4 million for additional health screening tests for newborns required under a 2014 state law.• $100,000 to create a Marcellus Shale Health Registry to track health concerns related to gas drilling.• $3 million to make improvements in health care delivery statewide as part of a federal initiative.• An additional $2.1 million to upgrade monitoring of prescription drug use.